Black on Silver
by Flutist Girl
Summary: After a three day mission in Wutai, the world is turned upside-down when the famed General Sephiroth brings home, of all things, a wife. Behind an elaborately woven (but 100% fabricated) facade of spur-of-the-moment romance is a great, dark secret that will take far more to protect than Sephiroth is prepared to give. Why would he even do such a thing? ASGZ friendship, OC
1. He did what, now?

Black on Silver

A/N: If you want more, let me know and I'll get on it. Feedback is appreciated, as always. Welcome, and enjoy!

* * *

><p><span>Chapter One: He did what, now?<span>

It wasn't the war that sparked the mayhem this time. For once, news of Wutai was forgotten. Even ShinRa's doings were largely left out of the picture. For the first time in a long time, spreading from Midgar outward to the rest of the planet, the world was inundated with earth-shattering news of a _romance_.

It started with a simple tactical objective of the ShinRa military. The ensuing mission had been brief and, by all accounts, uneventful. The official report itself was less than a page. In, search, out. It took as much time traveling to and from the area as to carry out the operation.

The city was Kuro, an infinitesimal speck on the map of Wutai. Less than 40 people inhabited the village, and all of them worked the fields for a living. When ShinRa forces had arrived, it was the first time that most of the villagers had ever seen a sword, let alone a gun.

The only reason why a hamlet this size was of any interest to the military at all was because it was rumored that a particularly troublesome squadron of Wutaian troops shipped weapons through the area. Some notorious and elusive officials were rumored to be at the head of the battalion, and ShinRa was not about to let a chance to hunt them down slip through their fingers.

There was nothing that the military did that had been worth reporting, surely nothing that would call for two reprints of the Midgar Times. There was no confrontation, no intel to be gathered on the enemy officers, and certainly, definitely no weapons.

And yet the news of what had happened in Kuro spread like wildfire.

Critics questioned why such a high ranking ShinRa officer was even sent on such a mundane mission in the first place. Some civil rights groups stirred, upset with the proceedings and claiming human rights violations. Some fangirls wept, or cried scandal or witchcraft. Others stood in denial.

Whatever the implications for ShinRa, human rights, and fangirls alike, by the end of the day, everyone in Gaia knew that First-Class SOLDIER Sephiroth had brought back a wife from Wutai following a three-and-a-half day mission.

* * *

><p>When Angeal found Genesis in the SOLDIER floor cafeteria, the man was squinting at a newspaper held sideways and three inches from his face. Unperturbed, the man took his seat at a small, greasy table across from his friend and slid a mug of coffee away from him. The redhead hummed distractedly and caught it with one hand, but let it go unattended as he continued to scrutinize the front page.<p>

"I didn't know you took an interest in the news," Angeal commented, removing the teabag from his own mug and shaking it dry. Breakfast in the barracks was ham today, or some semblance of it. He picked up his fork, but decided against the grayish meat and went for the eggs instead.

"Everyone takes an interest in the news after yesterday," Genesis said. He sat for a moment, and when Angeal did not reply, he finally took his eyes away from the paper to give his friend a disbelieving eye. "…Naturally," he said with a small shrug, "you _would_ be the last person on the planet to know." He shook the paper once and continued his reading.

"I don't trust the journalism in the Midgar Times," Angeal said before taking a long, slow sip of his steaming tea. It was early, and it was Monday. He had a sinking feeling the day was going to be very, very slow.

"Then pick up any other newspaper, you'll find the same thing."

Angeal raised an eyebrow as his friend rotated the paper further. Now it was nearly upside-down, held suspended above the table at the strangest angle by both of Genesis's red-gloved hands. "What are you doing to that paper?"  
>"I <em>think<em> I can make out Seph's hair in this photo if I hold it this way. Still, it's a stretch. It could be anything, really."

"Sephiroth made the front page?"

"Oh, he did _so_ much more than that."

Angeal sighed and wordlessly held out a hand. Genesis handed over the paper.

In the biggest, boldest words Angeal had ever seen on one sheet of paper read "FAMED SHINRA GENERAL WEDS WUTAIAN GIRL".

Angeal stared at the words. And stared some more. He blinked and refocused his vision. The headline did not change.

There was still a chance. "Surely they're not talking about…"

But they were. It didn't take any more than a cursory glance to tell that Sephiroth's name was all over that page.

He turned his attention to the photograph. Genesis was right; it could have been a photo of anything. The caption claimed it was a hurried shot of Sephiroth and his new bride as they exited the convoy, but it was so blurred and chaotic that it was impossible to tell. Angeal knew that Sephiroth hated paparazzi with a passion, and if it truly was a picture of him (he really could not tell), then their friend had probably reacted, and if that had been the case, then it was a miracle that even this pittance of evidence from their encounter had survived.

"What happened in Kuro?"

"You can read, can't you?"

Angeal ignored the quip. "Where is Sephiroth?" The trio usually ate breakfast together. The pair hadn't seen the silver general since his return from the mission, but even with time off to rest he should have been back to SOLDIER headquarters after the weekend.

"I wouldn't show my face if I was him, either." Genesis took a bite of the ham, winced slightly, and discreetly disposed of the remains in his napkin, following up the action with a large swig of coffee. "Or if the press has it right, maybe they're honeymooning."

"You and I both know that this is absolutely preposterous," Angeal scolded. And for a million and five reasons, it was. As far as the two of his friends knew (and they were probably the only ones to know the general enough to tell), Sephiroth was as absolutely asexual as he appeared to the public, with zero interest in anything even vaguely romantic. Even if a girl had somehow managed to catch his eye, he did not form _any _relationships quickly or easily. It had taken Genesis and Angeal the better part of four years for them to have a normal, mostly functional friendship with him. For Sephiroth to devote his life to a woman based on three days of knowing her would be an anomaly of astronomical proportions.

"Maybe the fangirls have something with that ancient Wutaian witchcraft stuff," Genesis commented dryly.

Angeal resisted the temptation to glower. His friend had gotten himself into something very, very deep indeed. He thought, long and hard. What did he know? Had Sephiroth acted strangely before he left? Was anyone out to get him? He ended up with nothing. As far as he knew, this had happened out of the blue, without a prologue of any kind.

Genesis was musing on about something. "Where would he take a girl on a honeymoon? Costa del Sol is way too cliché for him, and the Gold Saucer is too flashy. Maybe somewhere like Cosmo Canyon?"

Angeal snagged Genesis's plate away from him. "Come on, we're going up."

"Up? You think he's in his room right now?"

"It's a place to start."

Genesis got to his feet, eyeing his plate before waving it away with a hand. With that permission, Angeal dumped the plentiful leftovers in the garbage can and set the dishes in bins.

"You know we have a mission briefing soon," Genesis said through a yawn.

"So does Sephiroth," Angeal said. "Let's clear up this mess and get on with our jobs."

The good news, Angeal thought, was that today was no longer likely to be slow and boring.


	2. The Investigation

Chapter Two: The Investigation

Angeal knew that knocking would not be effective. He knew that when Sephiroth did not want to be disturbed, he would _not_ be disturbed. While he was usually hospitable enough when his friends came to visit, even in a particularly sour state, if he was pushed past a point then little short of an apocalypse would get him to unlatch that bolt.

And Angeal guessed that today he was likely to be in "a mood", as Genesis often referred to his friend's locked-down state.

He started, for the sake of good faith, with a knock, knowing it was probably useless. "Hey, Sephiroth. It's Angeal."

No answer, no noise. But it wouldn't be the first time that the silver general had outright ignored them. He was still just as likely to be in there as he was to be out.

"I know you're in there." He didn't, but it paid to be overconfident. Sephiroth took you more seriously if you had a strong front, even if it was fake.

"I'm sure you haven't forgotten, but there's a briefing soon, and I thought I'd ask how your mission in Kuro went before we went back to business."

Was it possible for the room to be more silent than before? It would be something that only Sephiroth could pull off. Angeal could picture him, sitting on his couch, just staring at the door, seething in annoyance.

Genesis pressed his ear to the door. "What are you doing?" Angeal scolded.

"I don't have to answer that," he said. "…There's something in there. It sounds like…running water and…dishes."

"Sephiroth doesn't have a real dish in his house, you know he doesn't cook—" Angeal went silent as the realization hit him.

"Oh," Angeal said.

Genesis started laughing. Angeal half expected Sephiroth to tear through the door and choke the laughter out of the redhead.

"Sephiroth, we as your friends would like to know what's going on." He hoped that Sephiroth would listen to him and not Genesis's sniggering. "We're worried about you."

And with that, the latch clicked, but the door did not open.

Genesis and Angeal looked at each other. That had never happened before. Even if they'd annoyed him, he would have at least come to the door to tell them in person.

"Are we walking into an ambush?" Genesis asked.

Angeal ignored that. "I'm coming in." And with that, he did.

* * *

><p>Sephiroth's apartment was modest. It always had been, and it probably always would be. The living room was furnished only by a couch, a small coffee table, and a bookshelf on top of which was a small television. In the near corner was sectioned off a small half-kitchen, with only a sink, mini refrigerator, and a microwave, all situated neatly on the countertop next to some stacked food items and disposable dishes. There were a few cabinets up above the counter, but the two friends knew that Sephiroth never used them. There was a small, square kitchen table, with seats for four, but it, like the cabinets, was little more than a space-filler, or occasionally a place to set papers that needed attending to. The walls were bare of any decorations, but one perk was a large window that had a great view of the sprawling city below.<p>

"How can Sephiroth _live_ here?" Genesis mumbled to himself as he scraped his boots on the unadorned welcome mat before slipping them off and setting them on a rack by the door. Angeal followed suit. If Sephiroth didn't care about decor, he certainly cared about the cleanliness and orderliness of his home, and Genesis and Angeal had quickly learned that he was especially particular about getting mud on his carpet.

Genesis had told Sephiroth many times that he could afford more, even on a meager SOLDIER salary (though as General it was likely he was paid much more – but they never asked). Sephiroth had shrugged and said it was a waste. Given how much time he spent in his office or out on missions, and how little time he spent at home, it was probably a valid point. Genesis even swore that Sephiroth slept in his office most of the time.

Just as the two had shut the door behind them, Sephiroth came out of the hallway from the right side of the room, rubbing a bath towel through his long, dripping hair. He stopped when he saw his friends, and his eyes narrowed. "How did you get in here?"

"It wasn't you?" Angeal asked, though he had begun to suspect as much. For now, he judged it best to feign ignorance. "The door unbolted when we knocked."

Sephiroth said nothing. He didn't have to. He had clearly just gotten out of the shower.

"So you didn't hear us at all?" Genesis asked.

"No."

"Can we at least take a seat?"

Sephiroth turned away to go back into the bathroom. "As you please."

"You're more frigid than usual," Genesis commented, beneath his breath but not as quietly as was prudent. Sephiroth's hearing was exceptional. Angeal jabbed Genesis in the ribs with his elbow but it didn't matter. Though Sephiroth did not react in the slightest, they all knew he had heard.

As they both took a seat on Sephiroth's couch, they heard the hairdryer start and Genesis frowned. "Are we going to have to sit here while he does his hair?" Though they'd never seen the whole process yet, rumor had it that preparing his hair for the day was a long and arduous task, meticulously, even scrupulously done. By how immaculate it always appeared and how fussy he got when someone or something tried to mess with it, they believed it.

"Make the best of it," Angeal said. "Turn on the TV."

"Does he get anything good?"

Angeal sighed. The only channel that was provided free of charge was the ShinRa news network, and it seemed unlikely that Sephiroth would pay for anything else.

"He'll be done on time for the meeting," Angeal assured him. Sephiroth was punctual to a point. "So at max he can only take up to…"

"…two hours," Genesis concluded. Angeal could feel his friend's mood get sourer by the second.

"Wait a minute…"

Genesis rose from the couch. Angeal scanned the room quickly and immediately knew this was a very bad idea.

There was a small cardboard box on the kitchen table, unmarked and neatly closed. "Genesis," Angeal said but knew it was useless. The man was already over there.

Carefully, Genesis opened the box. His face betrayed nothing, but he stared at the contents for a long time. Slowly, he pulled out a kimono of stunning workmanship. As he pulled, fabric as blue as midnight spilled across the table, shimmering, with embroidery in threads that shone like moonlight. The obi was wide, silver, but with glimmers of color like opal dust, and embroidered with pearlescent cherry blossoms of the daintiest pink.

"Holy…" Angeal said, eyes wide. Such a thing would cost a fortune. Aside from royals, he seriously doubted that anyone in Wutai could afford such a luxury. He had seen lesser kimonos costing several months' salary for the average working man. But Genesis wasn't even done. He pulled out no less than five jeweled hair pins, each resplendent in both materials and workmanship.

"She must be…" If Sephiroth had brought home a Wutaian _royal_, then he was in for not only a personal mess, but a political one as well.

The rest of the box was rather unremarkable. There were three scrolls tied with red ribbon, a small music box, two china teacups, and a small, well-worn book. "Poetry, maybe?" Genesis said as he flipped through the book. "It's divided into short sections." He set it down, unable to gather anything from the foreign script. "It'll be the life of Sephiroth's library." Genesis, a literary man, had made it extremely clear exactly what he thought of Sephiroth's own collection of practical, nonfictional books.

"Wait," Angeal said, getting off the couch to join his friend at the table. He looked at the book. Especially compared to the luxuries of the rest of the box, it was plain, tattered, and worn. He could see fingerprints on the cover and across the pages and ripples from where it had gotten wet and then dried. In some places, the ink was bleeding.

"I know _this_ symbol," Angeal said, pointing to one of the kanji on the cover.

"Oh, well…that makes things…interesting."

The kanji, well known even on the Continent, was the symbol meaning _love_.

"If she's a romantic she's in for a rude surprise," Genesis said. "She picked the wrong guy for sure." He picked up the kimono by the collar. "So…how do I re-fold this?"

"You don't," Sephiroth said, and the two nearly jumped out of their skins. "It's an intricate process. I'll take care of it later."

That had taken much less time than the two had expected. Sephiroth was completely ready, hair, uniform and all. Furthermore, it looked like he had his angry battle-face on. His eyes were set on them, lethal in intensity, and his arms were folded across his chest.

They had been caught red-handed.

* * *

><p>"Seems like you brought a lot back from Kuro, my friend," Genesis said as he put down the kimono, folding it neatly in half on the table's surface.<p>

"Indeed," Angeal agreed. "It all looks very…expensive."

"Heirlooms of the Kazehawa family," Sephiroth said blandly, as if any of the others knew what that meant.

"Is that her family?" Genesis asked, and Angeal tensed. That came out very blunt.

Sephiroth paused. "Yes. Her mother's ancestors."

"And…_her_," Angeal said very carefully, knowing he was treading on thin ice. "I take it you brought her back as well?"

"Yes." No apology, no explanation. To Sephiroth, it probably was really that simple. To the rest of them, it was anything but.

"And you…"

"Yes, she and I are married."

There was a long pause. Angeal cleared his throat. They had to talk or nothing would be said. Sephiroth was not likely to offer what was not asked for. "Well…congratulations."

Sephiroth closed his eyes and nodded. There had to be so much going on in his mind, but none of it could be seen on his face.

"That was quick," Genesis said.

Sephiroth looked at him, as if to ask where he was going with it. There was an edge in the way he stood – a defensiveness that the two had not seen in him for quite some time. His guard was way, way up.

"Did you _really_ do it?" Genesis said, but it was a question Angeal wanted to ask as well.

Sephiroth reached into a file set next to the television on the bookshelf, deftly flipping through the papers until he found what he was looking for. He set it down on the kitchen table.

They could tell nothing about it. The whole thing was written in beautiful calligraphy, the Wutaian characters so artful that it would take a native to be able to read them. Near the bottom, however, was Sephiroth's elaborate signature, next to a name signed in kanji. Beside and below them were several official-looking seals in red ink.

"Our marriage certificate," Sephiroth said. "Or…the closest thing to it that Wutai offers."

Genesis let out a low curse. "You seriously…?"

Sephiroth put the paper back in the file. Angeal knew that when he turned his back it was a cue that the conversation was over, but Angeal and Genesis were far from done.

"Are you in your right mind?" Genesis asked, more heatedly than was prudent.

Sephiroth's eyes flashed from annoyed to enraged. His two friends could see his entire body seize up, tensed as if to physically retaliate. Seldom had they seen this kind of reaction, and never had they seen it off the battlefield. His pupils constricted to slits of black in seething, raging mako green.

"I did what I had to do."

And with that icy statement, he flew out the front door, letting it slam behind him. Angeal winced at the sound, but Genesis did not react.

"Genesis," Angeal scolded and sighed at the same time.

"What? It isn't like you weren't thinking the exact same thing."

"I had the common sense not to _say_ it."

The seconds ticked by in silence, marked only by the regular rhythm of the clock.

"Gaia," Genesis sighed. "Never seen him _that_ bad before."

Angeal nodded. Right now his friend would not be reasoned with. "What do we do now?"

Genesis crossed his arms and leaned against a wall, shaking his head.

"I guess we follow his example," Angeal offered. "Go to the briefing and pretend nothing happened."

"How long are we going to play _that_ game with him?" Genesis quipped, irritated. The redhead was the most emotional of the three, with a flair for the dramatics. He did not let things sit and stew – he dealt with them promptly and with all the heat required for the moment. He did not like to sit back and play Sephiroth's coolheaded conceal-and-wait game. Angeal didn't like it either, but his patience was much greater than Genesis's. Even so, as far as the two of them knew, Sephiroth could bottle up whatever he wanted and let it sit for an eternity. If left up to the silver general, it was unlikely that anything would ever be discussed about the matter again.

"We'll figure something out after he's had time to cool off."

And then they heard a soft scuffing sound.

Behind a closed door on the left was a spare bedroom that Sephiroth used for his personal study. But the desk and chair had been removed, placed in a corner of the living room, with all his books stacked on top of it. Apparently, he was clearing out that room, perhaps repurposing it. The scuffing continued from behind the closed door.

"She's in there," Genesis said. "Do we dare?"

"Something's not right," Angeal said, stepping towards the door. "Something happened in Kuro. Something big. Maybe she will have some answers for us."

And with that, he turned the doorknob.


	3. At Least Part of the Story

Chapter Three: At Least a Part of the Story

She was waiting for them, standing in Sephiroth's old study, facing the door as if she had been expecting them.

Genesis and Angeal were struck, because while they had been expecting a Wutaian girl, deep down they hadn't expected her to look so ordinarily Wutaian. She was dressed in a simple, light green yukata printed with dark bamboo stalks and leaves, with an obi of an unadorned strip of faded yellow cloth. She walked barefoot, but her geta sandals were next to the door. Her long, dark hair was pulled back and wrapped in a large but modest bun, a few dangling strands left to frame her face and conceal her ears. Below straight-cut bangs were deep, earthen colored eyes in the almond shape of her people.

Even now that she was away from her homeland, there was nothing on her indicative of her new home on the Continent. She looked very out of place in such a plain, modern apartment.

She put her palms to the sides of her thighs and dipped at the waist in a bow. Angeal mimicked her, knowing it was the Wutaian sign of respect, but Genesis did nothing of the sort. Unfazed, the woman offered her hand to Genesis in a more Continental greeting, lips smiling kindly. "Welcome, friends," she said in only slightly-accented Continental. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Genesis took her hand and shook once before releasing. Her grip was firm and steady.

"The pleasure is ours," Angeal said, smiling. He liked her. She was soft-spoken and polite, but held herself proudly, in a demeanor strangely not too far from Sephiroth's own.

"I am Angeal Hewley," he said. "And this is Genesis. We're SOLDIER firsts along with Sephiroth."

Genesis didn't let the opportunity pass him by. "And your name is…?"

"Please call me Hana."

"Hana, then," Genesis repeated. "How'd you come to marry Sephiroth?"

"Genesis, can you not wait thirty sec-?"

Hana held up a hand. "It's fine, Angeal. I know that's why you came here. No need to dance around it." She paused, looking past them into the living room.

"Let's discuss this over tea, shall we? There is...much to say." Her eyes clouded over, misting with melancholy despite the kind smile ever on her lips.

* * *

><p>"Your Continental is flawless, Hana," Angeal remarked.<p>

The two men were sitting on the couch, watching as Hana prepared the tea on the coffee table. She sat very formally, kneeling on the floor and sitting delicately on her heels.

"I spent much of my childhood away from Wutai," she explained, never pausing in her preparation of the tea. "Never in Midgar proper…but various places on the Continent."

She took a mix of leaves the men did not readily recognize from a small, flowered fabric pouch. "It's a recipe of my own invention," she explained. "…People usually like it very much."

Even though she had only heated the water in an ordinary silver pan on a single electric burner and poured it with a ladle, she did so with the grace of much practice. Such art deserved a proper teapot at the least. Angeal made a note to mention it to Sephiroth.

She scooped it into the two china cups from the box they had seen earlier on the table. Angeal almost turned down such finery, but Genesis readily accepted and Angeal did not want to disgrace her hospitality. The tea was perfectly seeped – strong enough only to make a statement without being overbearing – and the blend was familiarly comforting with hints of unique, new flavors.

"It's wonderful," Genesis said appreciatively, and Angeal nodded in agreement. While his approval probably meant more, as he had grown up rich and had more refined tastes than Angeal's frugal family, Angeal could still appreciate the art with which it had been prepared and the final product.

Hana smiled and dipped into a bow. "I'm glad you like it."

"You have to be a royal," Genesis said, taking another sip after his declaration. Both Hana and Angeal seemed to expect him to say more, but he did not.

Hana flushed beet red and dipped her head. "No, really…I'm flattered, but I'm really no one of consequence." She gathered the materials she had used to make tea and rose to return them to the kitchen, speaking as she went. "But I spent several years as a servant in the royal household. I don't know the title in your language, but I was head of all the maid servants."

"That doesn't explain the kimono," Genesis still pried further. "That's not servant's wear."

Hana returned to the coffee table, still sitting on her knees, with her hands resting delicately on her thighs. She did not speak for several moments. "That is a family relic," she said at last. "From an age very long past."

Angeal looked down into his tea. Beneath the honey-colored drink he could see a design emblazoned in gold on the bottom. He tilted the cup slightly, watching the light play across the gold. It looked to be a very intricate phoenix amid thin, wispy clouds. The insignia gleamed slightly red – like the comforting glow of a flame.

The color and insignia seemed suspiciously familiar. He tried to remember the design embroidered on the kimono but could not.

Hana seemed very comfortable in the silence that ensued. She sat patiently as the two men finished their tea, a gentle and calming presence. When Genesis and then Angeal offered her their empty cups, she whisked them away to the kitchen, washing them immediately with great care, and then setting them to dry on the table.

She returned to her seat one final time in front of the men. Slowly, she took a breath, and then released it though hands clasped as if in prayer and placed before her lips.

"We met on the road to Kuro. I was with a caravan of merchants, headed south. Because of the nature of Sephiroth's mission, he stopped us on the road and demanded a search of our cargo."

"Nothing personal, I hope you know," Angeal said. "ShinRa believed that weapons were being shipped through the area."

"And we probably looked pretty suspicious, a little ragtag band like us," Hana added with a wry smile. "Anyway, we complied. We weren't warriors, and even if we were…"

She didn't have to finish. It didn't matter if the whole caravan was trained, they would be nothing next to Sephiroth. Angeal shook his head. It must be a very frightening thing to be pulled over by the silver general, of all people, especially with the rumors about him that flew unchecked across Wutai.

"Well," she closed her eyes. "One of the cadets found weapons, and we were immediately taken into custody."

"You were carrying weapons?" Genesis asked, suddenly more intrigued.

"They were the merchants' personal weapons, not for sale. Even so, I was not aware they were there. I told them not to bring any more than necessary, but not only did they ignore my counsel, but they overstocked. They had enough to seem like a threat, albeit a small one."

"And so you were Sephiroth's prisoner," Angeal concluded. "That's…one way to meet your husband." Genesis hummed, extremely amused.

"I was the only one who could speak Continental, and so I acted as the representative. Sephiroth told me that if I could prove who I was and where I was going, he would let my caravan go." She shook her head. "I tried to explain that I was a party independent of the Wutaian army, but it wasn't enough for Sephiroth.

"He told me if I could not secure proof then I would remain a prisoner, and subject to interrogative action by ShinRa. Because it was late and his men needed to make camp, he gave me the night to reconsider my silence."

"Wow, he actually threatened to _torture _you?" Genesis was outright laughing. Angeal had to admit, Sephiroth hadn't really shown his best colors to the woman who would turn out to marry him. Unfortunately, it sounded like she'd caught the most business-end of him there was, and his business was war.

She continued without further comment on the matter. "During the night one of my comrades managed to set me free, but I couldn't leave them there. So I took a chance and went to Sephiroth's tent. I thought maybe I could explain myself.

"And so I told him. Everything. We talked for a long time."

She stopped here, and her eyes were very far away. She gazed forward, seeing nothing, for a long time. "And he…. I don't even know how to explain…" she said softly.

She took in a deep breath and let it out as a sigh. "You might have to come back for the rest of the story later. I'm still reeling over it myself. So much has happened, and so fast."

Genesis opened his mouth to protest but stopped when she rose to her feet. "Besides," she continued with a smile, "don't you have somewhere you need to be?"

Angeal checked his watch. She was right, the briefing was soon.

"You're hiding something," Genesis stated. "And you're trying to avoid the subject."

"Genesis," Angeal scolded harshly.

His friend did not apologize for his words. As he rose he dusted off his red leather coat. "It will all come out, eventually. If we don't get to you, ShinRa or the press will." And without another word he excused himself.

Angeal and Hana remained in the wake of Genesis's accusation. Angeal noticed that Hana looked extremely tired behind her carefully tended posture and expression. He felt very angry at Genesis. She had just tried to express herself in the best way she knew how, telling a very private part of her life, and he had left her with a verbal slap and called her a liar.

He would have much to say to the redhead after the meeting.

"Please excuse his unforgivable manners," Angeal said. "Rest. You've come a long way and had a lot happen."

"Thank you, Angeal. We'll talk again soon." She opened the door for him and left him with a smile. "…Please tell my husband I said hello."

Angeal smiled. It was so strange to hear her say that, and yet, something about it felt right to him. "I will. You take care."

* * *

><p>Hana closed the door behind her and only then breathed out all her tensions. "Was that all right?"<p>

"You said more than I would have."

"But you would have said nothing at all." She slid the chain across the door and turned back to her husband. "And that would not have placated them."

Sephiroth stood by the window. She knew he'd been on the balcony the whole time, listening to every word she said. "You are quite the actress," he said.

"I told you I was. I had to be."

"Was it really necessary to go into all that detail?"

"You were the one who told me that Genesis has a flair for drama. Besides, the best way to tell a lie is to use as much of the truth as possible."

Sephiroth hummed, a soft sound that Hana had learned meant something close to agreement. "Your ending was abrupt. Genesis saw through it, at least."

"I was unprepared to discuss…that," she said. And the statement hung heavy in the air.

"I thought I had it figured out but when the time came I couldn't. Hopefully they'll just see me as an awestruck bride. I'm told that newlyweds are often overwhelmed with emotion."

"Angeal seemed to buy it," Sephiroth said. "And he might be able to persuade Genesis." Hana took that as something close to a compliment. After all, he would have been incapable of retelling any of their story. She knew that was why he had left the job to her.

"You should be going, too," she said.

Sephiroth crossed the living room over to the kitchen. He looked at the counters. "There is some fruit and bread if you are hungry. I'll come back later with lunch."

"That will be fine."

"Continue to make a list of the things you need for the house."

"I will."

"Then I'll be going."

He started to unlock the door when Hana spoke again. "One more question for you, Sephiroth."

He stopped, hand still on the doorknob. He didn't give verbal permission but she knew she had his attention.

"Why hide it from them? If they really are your friends?"

"We already discussed this. In explicit detail."

"Very well. But the reason I let them in was because if we are really going to go through with this, you'll need all the help you can get. I wouldn't turn away what few allies you have."

"Allies," Sephiroth repeated, bemused. And then just like that the case was closed.

"I'll be back with lunch." And the door closed behind him.

Hana stood staring at the doorway for a long time. There wasn't a sound except for the gentle rhythm of the second hand.

She eased herself onto the couch. She was alone now, for the first time in days. Several very long, hard days. Her world had been turned upside-down and inverted, and only now was she washed with exhaustion. As her body began to uncoil, she began, at last, to feel.

She had said it herself. Newlyweds were often awash with emotions, not all of them positive. The difference was, she thought as she curled into herself, that most new couples could deal with the changes together, while she had to do it all on her own.


	4. Not Quite Back to Business as Usual

Chapter Four: Not Quite Back to Business as Usual

Before the meeting, everyone had been muttering to each other. When Genesis and Angeal arrived, tones hushed even more, but still it continued. They knew that Genesis and Angeal were Sephiroth's only two friends, but apparently that relationship still didn't make them as much of a threat as the silver general himself.

"I'm going to see what they're saying," Genesis said.

"Do be discreet." Angeal was usually against eavesdropping. It was hardly honorable. However, in this situation, their friend's reputation was at stake, and perhaps it was wise to scope out the damage. He decided to label it "spying", for the noble cause of helping their friend, of course. The boardroom was buzzing with information, for those willing to gather it.

Genesis wafted naturally through the room, staying just out of earshot for a normal human, which, of course, was well within range of a SOLDIER's hearing. Angeal had to hand it to him; he could be very subtle when he had to be. With so many people and so much gossip to focus on, it was easy for them to forget the enhanced hearing of ShinRa's elite.

Genesis was a flawless actor. His face betrayed nothing of what he heard. He always wore his slightly smug, disinterested expression as he moved to get a cup of water from a dispenser in the far corner of the room, sip casually as he walked to the corner nearest to the door to throw it away, and then around the rest of the perimeter to take his seat at the table. In doing so he had at least passed by nearly everyone in attendance, and from where he now sat, he could hear the offensively blunt, loud-mouthed goldmine of all gossip in the company: Scarlet.

Angeal took his seat next to Angeal. Like most of the men in ShinRa, Scarlet made his skin crawl. And even more unfortunately, all he got to hear was a shrill "_Kya ha ha!"_ laugh before the President arrived and people began to take their seats.

All the heads of departments were in attendance, much to Angeal and Genesis's surprise. This was not a briefing, and both wondered if they had come to the wrong place. Lazard, director of SOLDIER, assured them that they hadn't as he took his seat.

"We may be more glorified, but we're rank and file, not executives," Angeal said.

"Sephiroth specifically requested your presence," Lazard said. "Relax. It may prove to be quite entertaining." This made Angeal uneasy. Genesis raised his eyebrows and muttered something that Angeal couldn't catch.

Tseng, head of the Turks, was next to Heidegger, who was the head of the formally named Public Safety Department, which everyone knew was just a euphemism for the military. Turks, SOLDIER, and the army were all technically under him, a fact that no one liked to be reminded of. And then Scarlet, who was head of Weapons Development, a department that need not be explained.

Professor Hojo, head of the Science Department, seemed particularly happy today, and that made everyone's stomach turn. The man was a sadist of the highest level, and if he was happy, it meant something truly diabolical had either happened or was about to happen. Palmer, head of the Space Exploration Program, was unfortunate enough to be next to him. The fat man was also looking slightly green today. Perhaps he had put too much lard in his tea again.

Looking across the table at all the executives, the only one whom Angeal had a truly favorable impression of was Reeve, head of Urban Development. It always struck him as odd that only one department was dedicated to the citizens and everyday living. Reeve must have his hands incredibly full, managing a city as big as Midgar.

Only when the General himself came into the room, two minutes before the beginning of the meeting, did all chatter cease. As Angeal had expected, no one would dare to speak of it in the same room that he occupied.

He was also later than usual. Angeal also believed that he had calculated his arrival to be that way, because as soon as he entered, all eyes, with varying degrees of directness, were straight on him.

He was the last one to take his seat, holding himself as if nothing had happened. Silent, as usual, tall and proud. Straight to business, he immediately opened the folder set before him on the table and began leafing through. He didn't look at all evasive, keeping the papers flat on the table and only his eyes cast down to read. He looked entirely like he had nothing to hide, like nothing had happened.

"Congratulations, General," Scarlet said, giving him a round of applause by herself. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that we never expected such a thing from you. Please do elaborate!"

Sephiroth raised one eyebrow, and held up a paper from the day's packet, looking Scarlet squarely in the eyes. "I do not see my private life on today's agenda. I suggest we begin by discussing more pertinent matters, such as number one, which is the financial toll of the Wutai War."

If it had come from anyone else, there might have been laughter at his dryly delivered retort. But it came from Sephiroth, and so it was terrifying. What might have been translated as a snarky comeback came out more like a door slammed in the face. Scarlet, for reasons not entirely known, brought out the worst in the man, and she knew that all too well. Furthermore, her sense of fun was truly twisted.

"And I thought your honeymooning days were sure to have softened you. You're still as cold as ice, Sephiroth."

"That's enough, Scarlet," Angeal said.

"I agree," Reeve, the head of Urban Development chipped in. "This is a wholly inappropriate place for such discussion." Sephiroth sent a quick glance his way in gratitude.

"And I thought we could have a little fun today," Scarlet said with a pout, crossing her legs and sighing.

"I have time-sensitive experiments that I must return to; could we get on with it?" Hojo sneered impatiently.

"To finance, then," Reeve began. "As you will see on page 3 of my report, the Wutai War is depleting our resources far faster than we can recover them. Even setting aside the lives lost, this war is proving to be far more costly than anticipated. Provided that no end to the war is in sight, cuts are going to have to be made."

"Surely not to my space program!" Palmer squeaked, pale as death.

"Where else?" Heidegger boomed, his lips invisible but his beard and mustache bobbing as he spoke. "I need more funds to put my troops on the field."

"And I need more funds to develop the weapons for the troops," Scarlet purred.

"S-S-Science then!" Palmer was scrambling now, palms sweating. "I need more funds for the rocket set to launch-"

"I second the notion," Sephiroth said.

"What about your foolish rocket? Why are we even bedazzled with the sky when so much needs to be done on the ground." Hojo retorted acidly to Palmer, and then gave the evil eye to Sephiroth, who did not so much as flinch. "My research is the backbone of the SOLDIER program, _General_. Without mako, your entire division grinds to a halt. You are just being defiant, _boy_."

Sephiroth blinked nonchalantly and did not even bother with a reply. Lazard answered for him. "New SOLDIER recruitment has ceased because of budget restraints. To cut any more from SOLDIER means we will have to discharge men or go without on supplies and equipment."

"The Turks are in a similar situation," Tseng said. "And as we have been charged with intelligence duty, a budget cut would mean that our tactics will suffer."

"Someone's going to have to take the cut!"

"We're stretched to our limits!"

"We need _more_ funding to win this war!"

And then the room erupted into chaos.

Angeal watched as Sephiroth put his head in his hands, gently massaging his temples with his fingertips. The man sat through these meetings at least weekly. He had more patience than anyone in the building but even he was stretched to his limits. Genesis's lips were pursed, brows drawn together and down. He had no such patience to speak of.

"Are all the meetings like this?" Genesis asked Sephiroth, barely audible over the din.

"Most of them," Sephiroth said. "Unfortunately."

It was when Heidegger started to look like he was about to clobber Palmer that the President intervened. "Why make more cuts when we can just increase revenue? Electricity rates, up, say…twenty percent?"

Reeve immediately attempted at intervention. "President, poverty and homelessness rates are through the roof—"

The President waved his hand. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. Put up more propaganda posters to mitigate the effects. Scare tactics. Something like," he took a big puff on his cigar, thinking. "Ah. Something like 'Every gil to ShinRa keeps our homes warm and safe". Add some pictures of Wutai scary ninjas attacking little children. That should keep them quiet."

"The common man can no longer afford rates as it is and to keep homes warm this winter…" but no one listened to Reeve. No one except Angeal.

The man rose to his feet in very rare, righteous anger. Thankfully, Scarlet did at the same time, and so attention was diverted away from his outburst.

Sephiroth's reflexes were just as quick. He seized his friend's forearm and squeezed hard enough for the pain to keep Angeal from speaking. "Keep quiet," Sephiroth hissed.

Slowly, before attention could be drawn back to him, Angeal took his seat, subdued but not cooled. The war was being funded on the backs of the strained populace. As a child raised in desperate poverty, the idea hit far too close to home. Genesis looked sideways at him, understanding the situation but not empathizing. As the child of wealthy parents, he had never known any want. His class would hardly be affected by the rate hike.

"Excellent idea, President," Scarlet said. "Higher mako rates will bring in more money for better weapons, more intelligence, and better outfitted troops."

"The war is as good as won," Heidegger said with a gruff, horse-like laugh. "Those Wutai cowards won't know what hit them!"

"With extra funding, I can refine the biological weapons we were discussing last time," Hojo said.

"This…" But Sephiroth squeezed Angeal's arm again before he could say anything. Reeve gave Angeal a despairing look.

"Well then, all financial problems have been settled, what's next on the agenda?"

"How about we forget the agenda," Scarlet said, sultry and sly. "I have a splendid idea for that propaganda."

"We should stick with the agenda and let the advertising department do their job." Angeal could have told Sephiroth not to fall for her bait. She had on her scheming look, and from the looks of things, she had a fight to pick with Sephiroth. And now that he had sunk down to her level, the battle of wills had begun.

"Why use scare tactics when we can win their hearts?" Scarlet crossed her hands delicately over her heart, pretending to swoon. "Why not capitalize on this little…_romance_ that already has the world positively _entranced_?"

Sephiroth's eyes went flat. She was playing a very, very deadly game indeed. They all knew Scarlet had a twisted sense of fun, but they'd never seen her go so directly for Sephiroth.

"This sounds interesting! I want to hear her out!" Palmer said, but Reeve made a face of disgust, as if he knew what was coming.

The President also seemed interested, let out a puff of smoke and gestured for her to continue.

"Dear Sephiroth is already our poster boy. Why not put that to good use?"

"Because he and his wife are humans with a right to privacy," Angeal said.

"You could put yourself on the poster," Genesis suggested to Scarlet. "Go for sleazy sex appeal. Pretty sure we haven't tried that yet." This made Heidegger cough, which he suspected was a cover-up for a laugh. Palmer was sniggering as well. Even Tseng and Reeve were trying to hide a smile.

Scarlet went on, unperturbed. "Your poor, dear Wutaian wife. She comes from a world without the wonders we have today. She can't heat her home or turn on the lights without fire. She's probably never even seen a motion picture! And so Sephiroth's heart went out to this dear little child, and he brought her to a proper, modern home where she can forget her heathen ways and live a real life. That's all we're trying to do…to save Wutai from its old-fashioned, pig-headed ignorance and bring the warm glow of mako power into their homes to transform their lives!

"You see? Even the great war hero doesn't _want_ to ravage their homeland, really. All he wants, deep down, is save them from themselves. And look at his beautiful bride to prove it!"

Angeal wanted to be sick. Sephiroth's face was dangerously, deadly level. Even Genesis's lips were turning into a snarl at the corners. Reeve and Lazard were noticeably disgusted as well.

"This is a ploy," Sephiroth said, "to get me to say more about my private life."

"And a low blow at that, Scarlet," Reeve added. "You've gone far beyond what common decency mandates."

"If the war ends, less of her people get slaughtered," Scarlet said. "Surely she wants that. And you, Sephiroth, can you continue to fight in the war, knowing you are killing your wife's people and destroying her motherland?"

_Has she gone mad_? Angeal wondered. Some of the other executives thought so as well, and were staring at her with open mouths. To take Sephiroth out of the war? Unthinkable. What would she gain, anyway?

"I remain loyal to SOLDIER," Sephiroth said. "And Hana has known this from the beginning."  
>"<em>Hana<em>?!" Scarlet exploded, showing all of her teeth in her widest smile. "Her name means _flower_! How adorable! The god of war and a beautiful, tender little blossom, it's simply charming!"

Sephiroth would probably kick himself for letting that slip, but he would do it later. To everyone else, it was a signal of just how angry he was. For someone so deliberate with his words, that tiny slip said so much.

"Unless she is unwilling to end the war," Scarlet drawled on. "Perhaps because she is a spy? Inside our headquarters, even!"

"Hana is a civilian who lived as far away from the war as it is possible to be."

"A simple villager? She could be easily manipulated by someone in the shadows."

"Enough!" Reeve surprised everyone by rising to his feet and slamming a fist to the table. "I don't know what you're trying to pull, Scarlet, but I've had enough of this game."

"Sephiroth is the hero of this war," Heidegger said. "To remove him from his position is suicide for our cause and I won't stand for it."

"As Heidegger said," Lazard agreed. "He is the heart of SOLDIER in many ways. You will cease these unfounded accusations against him and his wife."

"You sleep on the same floor as the President, correct?" Tseng said. "Then you sleep under Sephiroth's protection. And on multiple occasions, he has defended the executive residences from direct attack."

Palmer choked, pulling at the collar of his shirt. "Yes, I would rather like to keep it that way as well."

"And I didn't engineer the perfect soldier to sit on the sidelines of the war that will make his career," Hojo said.

"Then we are all agreed, Scarlet," the President said, "that you will cease this slander. Sephiroth, forgive this intrusion. If we are all agreed, let's continue."

"I'm not finished," Sephiroth said. "I have something more to say.

"I did what I did for personal reasons, without intent to help or harm the company. However, I realize that by 'wedding the enemy', as it may be, my position will be called into question, as Scarlet has just so poignantly done. I have brought with me my fellow Firsts, who will take my place as executives at this table. I hereby formally resign from this portion of my post and delegate the power thereof to my comrades."

Genesis and Angeal looked at their friend in utter bewilderment. The rest of the table joined them.

"I have approved this division of responsibility," said Lazard, pushing his glasses further up his nose. "While he will remain the figurehead and still hold many responsibilities within SOLDIER and as an operative, some of his powers will be stripped to keep him at some distance from the central powers in the company. It is hoped that this separation will protect him and his wife from accusations of treachery."

_And_, Angeal realized_, to keep him further out of their influence as well. What's he _really_ scheming?_

"Angeal and Genesis will take my place at this table."

Scarlet cooed and shot a wink at Genesis, who visibly grimaced in return.

It was Reeve who, once again, bailed Sephiroth out from any potential backlash. "If Lazard has approved it, it is done. That is well within the rights as Director of SOLDIER. I guess Sephiroth should be dismissed."

"Thank you," Sephiroth said formally, sliding his folder to his friends next to him. "I will take my leave."

And he did. Just like that. Behind him, he left only a still-stunned audience of ShinRa's most powerful.

It was only when the door closed behind Sephiroth that Angeal realized that their friend had just dumped the responsibility of attending all these executive meetings squarely in their laps and then made a run for it. He, himself, had openly admitted they were often as awful as this one.

The realization seemed to hit Genesis at near the same time, as the redhead was snarling particularly unsavory curses beneath his breath.

"Next, we will discuss the custodial staff's complaints about the SOLDIER floor locker rooms…"

Angeal had to resist the urge to let his head fall forward and slam on the table. Genesis abandoned protocol and did not resist that urge.

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry this one took a little longer. It was hard to write. Feedback about the in-character-ness of characters would be very much appreciated! I've never written about the ShinRa bigwigs before.

Thank you so very much for the support!


	5. Someone Wicked This Way Comes

Chapter Five: Someone Wicked This Way Comes

He heard furniture moving as he raised his hand to knock on the door. Amused, he listened. He could hear her push and shove, murmuring words in her native tongue that didn't sound very happy or triumphant. Sometimes he heard a short skid of wooden legs on carpet, but most of the time he just heard her body hit the barrier, push, and stop.

Then he knocked. The sounds abruptly stopped, but no footsteps approached. He knocked again. "I know you're in there, Hana," he said.

The door opened a crack, and the woman peeked out. He could only see her eyes. The chain was still on the door, preventing him from opening it further. "Oh, hello, Genesis." She was very out of breath.

"Good afternoon," he returned. "Remodeling?"

Hana's eyes smiled. "Something like that," she said. "Or…at the very least, attempting."

"Hmm." He held up a small package wrapped in shining white and silver paper. "I brought you a wedding gift." He raised it and turned it lengthwise so it would slide through the door.

"Oh!" She was caught aback, and didn't extend her hand to take it even as it intruded halfway into her apartment. "Oh, that's very kind of you! You really didn't have to…"

"It's just a trinket," he said. "And it's customary. You guys did get married, after all."

She finally took hold of the gift but did not pull it through. "Please, come in. It's…a mess. And I'm not much better, but let me at least sit you down and get you something to drink."

"It's really not that big of a de—"

He'd been in Wutai enough to see that gifts _were_ a big deal. He knew only that much, but at least he was aware of his own ignorance.

He had come to make peace with her. And because he didn't know her customs, he would play along.

"I would enjoy more of that tea," Genesis said. And, truthfully, he would. After that meeting, a hot drink would be especially welcome.

She shut the door and slid off the chain, then welcomed him into her home. She hadn't been lying: it was a mess. It looked like she'd been successful with the couches, and they rested in new positions, but the bookshelf was at an odd angle at an odd place in the room. She had removed the books and the television from it, and they were heaped on the couch. She flew quickly, moving the stacks to the floor. She was dressed in one of Sephiroth's ShinRa logo t-shirts (Genesis had never seen the man wear it, but the company gave them out at least every year), which was more of a nightshirt on her, and what looked like a pair of his jeans as well. He couldn't tell under the baggy shirt, but he guessed they were cinched tight with a belt to fit around that tiny waist, and the legs were rolled up at least three times so they wouldn't drag on the floor. It was the first time he'd noticed how tiny she was compared to him.

"I'm sorry I'm not really dressed, but it would be impossible to do all this in a dress…"

"It doesn't matter to me," Genesis said. At her gesture, he sat on the cleared couch. She pulled over the coffee table and set his gift on it.

"I'll start the tea. Please make yourself comfortable."

And so she began, and in no time at all, she returned to him with steaming tea in one of her heirloom china cups. Genesis accepted wordlessly, nodding his thanks.

Hana alighted on the second couch, some distance away, not directly in his line of sight. But she turned her body to face him and he adjusted similarly. She moved like a heron, with perfected, weightless grace.

"You cannot be a simple traveling merchant," Genesis said, taking a long, drawn-out sip afterward. He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "But that's not why I'm here. You don't have to say anything."

Hana nodded appreciatively, with the slightest bow at her waist.

"How do you like Midgar?" Genesis asked, gently waving his cup to make tiny waves in its surface and mix the contents.

"I can't really say," she said. "I haven't seen it, except through the window."

"Sephiroth's keeping you prisoner here?"

She flushed. "Oh, no. It's nothing like that. It's just that ShinRa hasn't made my identity card or elevator key yet…and so I can't get past security without someone with clearance, and Sephiroth's been busy."

"Ah," and he took another sip. Something about the blend tasted floral, and he could barely catch the aroma in the rising steam as well. "What is in this tea?"

"A lot of different things. Herbs, plants, and spices that remind me of home."

"Mmm. From Wutai?"

"All but one."

"Oh? And what's the one that's not?"

Hana smoothed the t-shirt over her lap. A needless gesture, probably done out of habit for when she wore her finer wear. She smiled wistfully and traced her finger on her thigh – drawing a symbol Genesis did not recognize. "Petals from a flowering tree in Gongaga. It is one of my favorite scents in the world."

_Gongaga_. He had heard the name somewhere, recently. But he couldn't place where. "That explains the floral scent then."

"It's actually one of three flowers mixed in the tea." She smiled. "I'll leave the other two to your imagination for now."

"But I know they come from Wutai. I'll pay more attention to the flowers next time I'm deployed there."

Hana's posture relaxed. It was a gradual change that he'd seen slowly evolve over the course of their conversation. Gradually, she was opening up, letting down her guard. Genesis was surprised to find that he had done the same.

"You can open the gift if you'd like."

"Don't you want to wait for Sephiroth?"

"He won't appreciate it. Pity, that."

She took the package and fingered the paper before carefully peeling at the corners. When it was fully exposed, she looked at it for a long time before she dared to caress the cover of the book. "_Loveless_," she said. "And it's…so beautiful!"

The cover was made of deep red leather, embossed with gold and silver that shone in the light. The paper was good quality, thick and sturdy, slightly colored to look like parchment. Even the script was elegant, easily readable, but with a flair that was reminiscent of true cursive. Attached to the spine was a bookmark of thick, scarlet ribbon.

"Genesis, this is not a trinket! This is a work of art!"

Genesis smirked, pleased. "In truth, this was a test. I wanted to see if you had finer tastes than your woefully lacking husband. You passed excellently."

"This must have cost—"

"Inconsequential. True beauty requires some cost, surely you can appreciate that."

"But I can't take—"

"You can," Genesis said. "It's a gift and I will be offended if it is not read and beloved as it was intended to be. Are you familiar with it?"

"I've heard of it, but never read it."

"Then consider it an assignment."

Hana pressed the book to her heart and fully bowed. "I will. Thank you, Genesis."

"And while you're at it, you can try to inspire some appreciation for it in that husband of yours."

Hana smiled. "I can try, at least."

"You're all right," he said as he finished the tea. "I think you and I can get along quite well."

"I'm glad to hear that. Last time you left I was quite sure you didn't like me."

"I'm still suspicious," he said. "Everything about you is tangled in mystery. I guess you and Sephiroth are similar in that, at least. But…" He shrugged. "Everyone has the right to privacy, I guess. And I can't fault you for that."

She didn't say anything, but took his empty teacup to the kitchen where it was immediately washed and set to dry. He liked her much better now that she wasn't standing on ceremony, every movement calculated and executed to perfection. She seemed human.

Sephiroth, too, had been that way at first.

The more he looked, the more the two really had in common.

"You need help moving that bookshelf."

"Oh, it's all right. I'll get it."

"It wasn't a question," Genesis said, smirking again. "Where do you want it?"

Hana pointed to the wall opposite of where it now stood. Genesis went to work.

He didn't blame her for not being able to move it; it was surprisingly heavy in addition to being large – wider even than his arm span and up to his chest high. "This thing is old as dirt, but it must be real, solid wood," Genesis said with appreciation. "It could probably be something beautiful if it was sanded down and refinished."

"That was my intention," Hana said. "…As soon as I get out shopping for supplies."

"You've certainly got your work cut out for you," he said as he pushed the second end against the wall, stepping back to see if it was straight and centered.

"You won't recognize this place by the time I'm done with it."

"Heh. I'm looking forward to it. Maybe then he'll actually spend some time here."

Hana nodded and then bowed when it had been peacefully silent for a few moments. "Thank you, Genesis. For the book and the shelf. I'm very glad you dropped by today."

"Thank you for the tea. I fully intend to discover what is in it."

"You can try," she said with a smile. "There are over twenty ingredients."

"As smug as he is. Maybe you two aren't so mismatched after all." Genesis stepped through the doorway. His back to her, peering back through his crimson hair, he said, "Tell your husband 'thank you for the promotion' for me, and that I'm looking forward to the board meetings. Use as much sarcasm as you can muster."

"I will," she promised.

"See you later then." Genesis raised his hand in parting and left.

He had taken the day off work. It would probably further back up the paperwork needing to be done, but that was Sephiroth's problem now, and Genesis considered it more than fair retribution after he had been through that meeting, with the promise of more to come. As he approached the elevator, he finally decided to go to the SOLDIER floor. He'd just stay away from the offices. He didn't have anything better to do, and doing nothing was better than doing paperwork.

It was when the elevator _dinged_ as he arrived at his destination that the light went on in his head. He knew exactly where he'd heard about Gongaga recently. Smirking, not even taking his usual pleasure as his expression scattered several Second-Classmen, he took out his phone and dialed.

"Angeal speaking."

"Angeal, what is the name of that overactive Gongagan puppy that you mentor for? And, assuming he is training on the SOLDIER floor like a good little Second-class, which I admit is a stretch, where could I find him?"

* * *

><p>"That bad, huh?"<p>

Sephiroth groaned as he slipped off his boots and set them on the rack by the door. It had taken Hana all of two seconds to make that conclusion.

"We both knew it would be," he said, and entered his home barefoot. The house had been freshly cleaned, and even though it hadn't particularly needed it, he appreciated the fresh scent. "I suppose it went as well as could be expected, given the circumstances."

Hana was crouched on her toes, using a small hand-broom to sweep the small hardwood area in the kitchen. Next to her was a pail of water and washcloth. "If you need to use the kitchen I can wait to mop."

"No, go ahead," Sephiroth said and made his way to the couch, setting a plastic bag on the kitchen table. "Dinner," he explained. "Just sandwiches."

"I'll eat after I finish."

"I'll wait."

Hana tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ears and continued her work.

Sephiroth watched her from where he sat on the couch. It really wasn't fair to have her locked away in his apartment all day, but there wasn't much that either of them could do about it. The elevators in ShinRa took key cards that only allowed to access specific floors, depending on rank and position. The upside was nearly impeccable security, but the downside was if you didn't have a keycard, you couldn't go anywhere, which was Hana's current position. It seems she'd kept herself busy by cleaning and rearranging thus far, but that wouldn't last much longer.

Not that he dared to let her go alone into the city just yet either.

"Genesis came by to give us a wedding gift."

"Oh?" He had a feeling he knew what it was from the start, but his suspicions were confirmed when he saw the red volume on the shelf – currently the only book that was not stacked on the floor beside the bookshelf. He went to pick it up, leafing through the pages gently. "Hm," was all he said.

"It's a very nice gift," she said.

"It's also a very overt jab at my attitude towards the work. Well, perhaps you will enjoy it." He put it back on the shelf.

"You don't like it?"

"I don't dislike it. I simply don't care for it. A sentiment that is not helped by his incessant quoting of it." He sat back on the couch. "If you enjoy it, you might go see the live production on stage."

"I'd really like that." She said it timidly. He focused on her – he didn't understand. She wasn't herself tonight. But she didn't look at him, focusing on scrubbing the floor with her washrag.

She'd never been this…_subdued_.

"It's done," Hana said, gathering her materials and setting them out of the way.

"Thank you. It looks nice." The apartment was still slightly messy from her remodeling, but he didn't mind. The state was only temporary. And her work so far had done much to open up the place.

Hana went to the table and pulled out a sandwich, then made as if to go into her room. It was mildly alarming. Was something he was doing chasing her away?

Sephiroth sat at the table and pulled the seat next to him out for her. "Stay," he said, and she obeyed. He hoped it hadn't sounded like an order. He hadn't intended it to be.

Hana sat down slowly, holding her sandwich in both hands. She was on the left side of the table facing the wall while he sat on the rear side facing the front door. She began nibbling as he fished his own meal out of the bag.

"I am meeting with Tseng of the Turks tomorrow," Sephiroth said. "I will arrange for him or for one of his men to train you to use a gun."

"I told you I'm not a fighter," Hana replied, still refusing to meet his eyes. "And I don't like guns."

"We did not agree that you would become a fighter, we agreed that you would learn to defend yourself. I won't always be nearby."

Hana still didn't look at him, but by the set of her jaw he knew she was upset. Very upset. She had hated the idea from the beginning, and only agreed grudgingly. He had tried to be as lenient with her as possible, and he had made concessions for her sake, but on this he could not budge. It wasn't safe to have her untrained and unguarded. Not for her. Not even for him.

Even so, perhaps he had pushed too hard and too fast. "Would you prefer a different weapon?" he tried.

She sighed. "A katana can't stand against a gun. And that's what most of my attackers would have."

She spoke sense now, and was following his logic. He hummed, pleased that he had made his point. But he also noticed something else in her voice. "Do you have any interest in using a katana?"

"…Yes."

"I can arrange for you to be taught."

Hana said nothing, but was running out of sandwich.

"You are not yourself," Sephiroth said. "What's wrong?"

Hana let her hands, now only holding bits of crust, fall to her lap. She seemed to shrink in her seat, posture falling.

"I'm…thinking. About a lot. I'm sorry, I guess I'm just preoccupied."

"There's no need to apologize."

The two ate in silence.

Hana spoke only several minutes after she had finished her dinner, staring at the paper bag it had come in. "When Genesis came, he asked about what was in the tea. And ever since, I've been thinking about all the things in it. Everything I put in there is tied to a memory. At first I was very happy, remembering it all, but then my mind wandered to…other things. The things I'd rather…forget."

Sephiroth respected her silence, waiting without pressure to speak. Hana deeply appreciated his patience, especially during times like this.

"How long do you think it will be before he gets here?" she asked in a whisper.

Sephiroth gathered his trash and put it in the paper sack before he answered. "Assuming that the news of our marriage has spread back to Wutai by now, and he's already had a few days on the road, I'd guess he'd make it within the week. ShinRa security should slow him down. Maybe if we're lucky they'll take care of the problem for us."

Hana shook her head. "Maybe Oniichan will get here first."

"That is the more favorable outcome, but will he be able to stop him?"

"…No."

"Then we will prepare for the worst." He rose from the table and threw the trash away. "I will see if I can get you trained starting tomorrow."

"Sephiroth?" Her voice was very small now, and her hands were clenched in shaking fists. Her head was bowed so low that he could see the entire part in her dark hair. "Will you…kill him?"

Sephiroth hesitated. _Fear_. She was very, deathly afraid. That's what was behind it all.

"Sleep tonight. There's nothing that can be done now."

"You didn't answer my question."

"You will not like my answer."

"I had a feeling I wouldn't. _Say it_." Her challenge rang in the air. Sephiroth tensed, as if in preparation for battle. Instincts he only called on when threatened. How had she learned to trigger them so quickly?

It was…_infuriating._

"Very well," he said, crossing his arms. "Unless the situation forces my hand, that decision is yours to make. I won't take that from you."

"You won't," she shot back, quiet but venomous, "or you _can't_?"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. Now _she_ was really treading on dangerous ground. "You are upset and irrational. Do _not_ turn this on me."

"It's already on you."

Under his simmering temper, he acknowledged in passing that he was unpleasantly surprised by how she had gone from terrified to spiteful and angry so quickly. "Do not challenge me, Hana."

"Don't patronize _me_."

The entire exchange was extremely confusing and irritating.

_She's afraid_, he told himself as he took a deep breath. _She's like an animal backed into a corner. _

The insight didn't give him any further directives on how he should respond.

"Hana," he said, level and emotionless. "_Yukihana_."

The use of that name jarred her. "What?" she said, and her bite was gone.

He knew he could not say the words with the emotion with which they were meant to be spoken.

But he knew the words, and they were all he had.

"_Kowa kute mo daijoubu…bokura wa mou…"_

Sephiroth said it, but he saw her lips mouth the final words along with him.

_"…Hitori janai._" (***)

Hana laid her head on the table. He heard her breaths. In. Out. In. Out. In…

"Does it sound as hollow to you as it does to me?"

And then at last she met his eyes. Wide, wet, vulnerable. Pretense was gone, stripped away. And in those depths he saw worlds of untold, undiscovered turmoil.

And in him, behind the thinnest layer of steel, he knew she saw the same.

_What have you brought out in me?_ The thought flashed simultaneously through the two minds connected by only one frail thread.

Then and there, in the silence, with nothing but each other, the truth kept at bay until now flooded over them in paralyzing waves, ripping the thread they each grasped from their hands.

**_What have we done?!_**

In Hana's mind, she saw that final thread fall into the darkness of the impassable chasm between them.

She didn't even have the strength to grab after it as it disappeared.

* * *

><p>AN: Sephiroth and Hana's relationship is extremely complex, for reasons known and yet unknown (to you as readers, anyway). I'm still working out their interactions with each other. It's sort of like trying to mix oil and water. Eh...I'll figure it out.

Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU! for the feedback! For those of you who think this is a pretty awesome thing, thanks! I do too, actually! :D I readily admit that Sephiroth is a character whose characterization I've never been able to strike just right yet. I am trying to be better, and I am taking your reviews to heart as I write. That said, old habits die hard, and so feel more than free to keep me on my toes about it! I really, truly do appreciate your constructive criticism!

And the Japanese lyrics aren't mine. They're sort of a secret for now, more in subsequent chapters, but all credit to the band "Sekai no Owari". If you want to translate it yourself, go ahead, but I'll do that for you later if you're patient. :) I guess while I'm at it I should say that none of the FFVII characters are mine either. (This isn't a songfic by the way. That's the most you'll probably see quoted.)

Except for one line I'll give you because it's fairly important:

_***Hitori janai _= Not alone.

Next chapter I promise will be more lighthearted as everyone's favorite Gongagan "puppy" makes his debut!


	6. A Face from the Past

Chapter Six: A Face from the Past

_It was raining, hard. So hard that she couldn't see the road in front of her. So hard that she could no longer even tell that tears were streaming down her face. _

_She kept running. She had slipped in thick mud, her ankle screamed with each step, but she had to keep running._

_Every breath was an effort. Her chest heaved, but the air was more water than oxygen. She felt like she was drowning. Her body screamed for respite but she could not stop. She didn't have the strength to recall why, but something deep in her mind drove her on mercilessly._

_How long had she been running? Hours? Days? Years? The black, angry sky told her nothing._

_She knew only one, consuming command: one foot in front of the other, __**quickly**__! _

_But the rain and her own exhaustion were driving her ever deeper into the earth._

_After an eternity, it was too much, and she fell to the ground at last. Splayed out in the mud, she didn't even have the breath or energy to cry for help._

_And then she saw a light at the end of the long, dark road._

_It was a strangely liberating feeling, to think that the end had come. All the worries of tomorrow dissipated, for tomorrow no longer existed. She gave a choked laugh and laid her head down in the mud, a small smile on her face as the light washed over her._

_But then…pain. This light was not kind. It was not here to return her to the Lifestream._

_ "__Hey!" a voice called, breathless. A boy. And he had been running. Rough, calloused hands slapped her face. "Hey! Wake up! Are you hurt? Hey! __**Hey!**__"_

* * *

><p>It was lunch as usual in the SOLDIER cafeteria. Today's lunch was turkey, or something that might have been turkey in a past life, because it was better than the special, which was more appropriately labeled "mystery slop" by the men.<p>

"It's gray," Zack said, staring down at the mass of meat. He poked it once, then twice with his fork.

"Just be glad it's not yellow this time," Kunsel sighed.

"And the potatoes-are these potatoes?"

"Shove 'em in fast enough and you can't taste them."

"You know, they're counting on our bodies to perform. They spend all that money on mako enhancements and training sims, you'd think they could afford to at least _feed_ us better."

Kunsel shrugged, unconcerned, speaking through a mouth of potatoes. "Maybe the food _is_ pumped up with something. That could be why it's so bad."

Zack grimaced, filling a fork with potatoes before thinking twice and returning them to his plate. "They're _sticky_."

"Just eat it, or _quietly_ starve through performance testing. Don't whine to me about it this time."

Zack soured, pouting at his food. Lunch break was a joke. All the Second-Class had to eat at the same time, with the army cadets to boot. It was a room full of sweaty, hot, grumbling men straight from training without so much as a shower, because if you took the time to clean yourself, the daily special was all that was left.

"_Turkey_," Zack said. "Yeah, I wish." But he needed all the help he could get to make it through testing. He knew he'd get it double from Angeal if his numbers didn't go up this time.

_"__You're not focusing; therefore, your training time is going to waste._"

"I'll show you," he grumbled through the turkey, quickly adopting the so-called "shovel, dump, and gulp" eating method that Kunsel preferred. The man said he was going to patent it and start charging any copy-catting cadets.

"You ever wonder if this stuff is leftovers from the science department experiments?"

"Zack," Kunsel groaned, turning green. No one knew what happened in those labs except the scientists, and the rest of the world was extremely content with not knowing.

"Seriously, think about it. Monsters go in and never come out and this stuff is _definitely_ not turkey—"

"Zack, if I hurl, _you're_ my target."

"Who wadded up your panties this morning?" Zack grumbled, but he could hardly blame his friend. Performance tests were dismal enough, and lunch never helped.

Would anyone make First-class this time? Would _he_?

"You're thinking about making First again," Kunsel said. He hadn't even needed to look at his friend.

"That's creepy, man," Zack said blandly, staring at his next bite of turkey. "You read minds now?"

"_Everyone's_ thinking about making First right now. You just happen to have your heart on your sleeve."

"Uh-huh. Whatever."

"I don't care what Angeal says, honor and dreams will only get you so far. If you had put your all into your training, you'd probably have made it by now."

"I don't need lectures from you, too. Let's just eat and get these tests over with."

"That's the spirit," Kunsel agreed with a sigh.

"Do you think we'll be testing on virtual sims this time or those psychopathic droids that Scarlet didn't get approved?"

"A droid can't be psychopathic."

"Possessed, then?"

Kunsel cracked a smile. "That was really bad, wasn't it? One of them zapped me in the face and I had this dumb look frozen on my face for a week."

"I remember that," Zack said. "Commander Ziff thought you were making fun of him behind his back at least five times. How many push-ups did you get for that one?"

"Hey, at least I kept my pants on. You lost yours in that fire blast after about five seconds."

"Those things are _supposed_ to be fireproof," Zack protested.

"Lucky for you the boxers were."

"Whatever! It's not like it's something we haven't seen in the locker rooms already."

"No, but it certainly must have made an impression on the Firsts who reviewed out performance. You did a great job of stop-drop-and roll too, _after_ that little dance-run-and-scream thing. They're sure to remember you this time!"

Zack regretted bringing up the topic, but at least the mood was lighter now. And he had gotten his lunch down to boot. He hoped it stayed there.

"Good riddance! Something's wrong when you are happy that _lunch_ is over-"

The room was silent. Zack was the last to catch on, and it was embarrassing that he couldn't call back his words that echoed through the room.

But no one seemed to notice.

Everyone was staring at _her_.

* * *

><p>She just stood there, in the doorway of the cafeteria, as pretty as a china doll, a lone woman in finery in a room of at least one hundred stinking, grumbling men. She was dressed in a sky-blue yukata printed with large white blossoms, long, square sleeves falling to her waist, which was encircled with a sunny yellow strip tied in a large bow. Her hair was pulled half into a bun high on her head, and half hanging straight and sleek down her back and shoulders. Pinned into its dark depths was a comb of jade, and she wore geta sandals on her feet.<p>

She looked like something taken from a traditional Wutaian painting, quite rudely ripped and pasted into the wholly inappropriate cafeteria in the heart of the Continent.

"Excuse me," she said politely, with the most charming hint of an accent. "I didn't mean to intrude, but I need to find General Sephiroth's office."

Silence. Not a single word out of a single man.

But everyone was thinking the same thing. They had all heard the rumors about their commanding officer.

"I have some things he left at the apartment." She held up a bundle wrapped neatly in bright, printed cloth. "He will need them very soon."

No one _wanted_ to go see Sephiroth in his office. Ever. But on the other hand, if he heard that a whole cafeteria of men under his authority had failed to help deliver an urgently needed package to him….

Eyes started to shift. _Who's gonna take one for the team?_

"I hardly need an escort, if you could please just provide some directions—"

One of the cadets rose to his feet, and for some reason a whole battalion burst into raucus laughter – maybe because they were the only ones to know him. Strange that he hadn't even taken off his helmet to eat lunch.

"I…I can help you, ma'am," the cadet said, but tripped over a chair on his way to her. Now everyone was in on the laughter. The man scurried over to her with a beet red face. She smiled kindly and followed him as quickly as he ran.

"Well, what do you know? The rumors about our esteemed General are true," Kunsel chuckled. "She's quite a pretty little thing, I'll give her that much. Not my taste, personally, but I can see how some men would-Zack?"

Zack was staring at the space in the doorway she had just occupied, jaw slack and mouth open. Stupidly, he raised an arm, hand limp on his wrist but one finger pointing at the now empty doorway. "She…" Zack shook his head, wild, black spiked hair bobbing. "It couldn't have been…_Hana_…"

"Oh? You know her?"

Zack blinked a few times, brows furrowing in concentration as he re-examined her image in his mind. "There's just no way. No. Way."

"You should have offered to take her. Then you could have found out yourself."

Zack put his hand down and seemed to regain his composure. Uncharacteristically, without a word, he got up from his seat and exited the cafeteria.

"Testing is in about ten minutes," Kunsel called after him.

Zack didn't seem to hear. As soon as he hit the hallway, he took off after the girl in a dead sprint.

* * *

><p><em>The light he carried was too bright. She could see nothing but black spikes. It hurt her eyes and she groaned. <em>

_He let her fall again, and she heard him rummaging around in a sack. Things hit the earth, metal things. It sounded like pans and cutlery. "Ah!" the boy said in triumph. "Here's my first aid kit! I'll fix you up in no time, you'll see!"_

_She heard the kit pop open, but the boy did nothing. "Uh…" he said. "Um…this…"_

_He scuffed around a bit, sheepishly. Eventually, he wiped a bit of mud off her face and pressed a small adhesive bandage on a cut across her cheek. "That will help a little bit! Don't worry, next time I'll tell Mom to get me a better kit." Even though "next time" was a pitiful substitute for "now", he sounded happy. Excited, even._

_"__Come on, you can come to my house!" Gracelessly, but with good intentions, he pulled her up onto his back, staggering under her weight. "It's…just a little…ways…you'll see!" _

_And so he sloshed through the mud, her feet dangling and leaving tracks in the soil behind them. He accidently let her slip more than once, but always apologized, picked her up, and continued the venture._

_It must have been hard. Miserable. But with every step he was smiling, laughing. There was a life and energy in him that could not be thwarted by the elements. He was talking with her about happy things like what his mom was going to cook for dinner when they got there, and how she could have his bed to rest._

_Her heart was filled with warmth, and she slipped into a peaceful sleep._

* * *

><p>He had almost made it there without incident. He had gotten some weird looks because while it wasn't technically against the rules to leave the cafeteria during lunch, most didn't, because it was the only break they got when testing season came rolling around. No one had even tried to stop him, though he had gotten some angry outbursts from people he had bumped into in his haste. He called out a hurried "Sorry!" and continued on each time.<p>

He was just about to turn down the hallway to the SOLDIER offices when an icy voice made him skid to a stop.

"Zack Fair. Second-class."

He couldn't see who it was that called him, but he snapped to attention out of habit, an awkward gesture, as he hadn't come to a complete stop yet and momentum from his speed kept pulling him forward.

The man sounded crazy serious, and that tone was authoritative and threatening enough to make Commander Ziff stand sound like a high-school cheerleader. Besides, his full name and title had been used, and that spelled trouble for sure.

He racked his brains. Had he done anything recently?

"Hm," the officer said. "Puppy indeed."

No one but Angeal called him that, but this was not Angeal. Zack overrode his impulse to reply and stayed ramrod straight at attention.

"But he can be trained, it seems. Turn around, boy."

Zack relaxed and turned around, but jumped and yipped in alarm when he saw who it was he was speaking with.

_Genesis!_

Zack had never met him in person, but he knew that iconic red coat. Rumors circulating around SOLDIER had it that he was the most volatile of the First-Class SOLDIERS, as well as a drama king. He didn't much care for anyone below him in rank, and could be hotheaded and arrogant. Angeal talked of SOLDIER pride, but Genesis took pride to a whole new level. He was on a pedestal above the rest of the world and he made sure everyone knew it.

When Zack had asked Angeal about him once, his mentor's reply had been a small laugh. "I wouldn't advise crossing him," he had said. "He does not have my patience."

Zack tried to put on a smile, hoping he didn't look too cornered. "Can I help you, sir?"

Genesis's eyes lit up in amusement, catlike, as if playing with his prey. "I know where I've seen you before. You're that Second who went through last period's tests sans pants."

Zack tried to keep a smile but couldn't withhold a grimace, which probably meant his expression turned out very awkward. He tried not to think about it. _It certainly must have made an impression on the Firsts who reviewed out performance,_ Kunsel had said. Looks like it had.

"I-uh…"

Genesis grinned and clapped, slowly. "Quite the performance. I enjoyed it very much. You did me quite the favor breaking up the monotony of watching you Seconds scurrying around in the dark."

"…Thanks." It was all Zack could say. He was getting angry. Genesis was purposefully toying with him and, unless he wanted to kiss all chances of him getting First-class goodbye, he could not retaliate.

Genesis cocked his head back and red bangs fell over his eyes. He brushed them away nonchalantly, but peered at him through narrowed eyes. "You are from Gongaga, correct?"

"Yes, sir." What did that have to do with anything?

"Good." Genesis pulled out a small, fine mesh satchel from his coat, a white ribbon drawstring sealing it tight. Without prologue, he tossed it to Zack, who caught it in his hands.

"Identify any scents you recognize."

"Uh…" Zack held the bag in two fingers by the drawstring, letting it dangle. "_Smell_ it?"

"Unless you have an alternative method for identifying scents, that would be the reasonable thing to do."

Zack wanted to roll his eyes, so he closed them tight instead until the urge passed. Under Genesis's intense stare, he obeyed.

His eyes widened in shock after only the first breath.

_It couldn't be…__**hers**__?!_

"What did you find?"

"What is this?" It came out before Zack really had time to judge whether the question was prudent or not.

Genesis tilted his head up and looked down on Zack. "Tea," he said simply. "A special, rare blend."

"Tea," Zack repeated and shook the bag, watching the dried leaves and buds bounce in the bag. "Tea…."

Genesis folded his arms impatiently but did not respond.

"If I tell you what I smell, will you tell me who blended this tea?"

"You are hardly in a position to bargain, boy. Especially with the performance exams coming so soon."

Zack looked down at the bag again. _There they are, sure as day_… He pinched a bud between his fingers.

"Besides," Genesis continued, "judging from your reaction, and assuming that you are in this hallway to see someone _other_ than General Sephiroth, your question is unnecessary."

Zack looked up at Genesis. Had that been the confirmation he'd been looking for under those slick words and cruel smirk?

"Kachnar," Zack said. "Others call it the orchid tree, or mountain ebony. It's a flowering tree native to Gongaga."

"I see. And would there be any reason to include it in tea?"

Zack hesitated. "It can be used in cooking. It's a delicacy. It also has some uses in medicine."

Genesis's eyes pierced into him. They both knew that wasn't what he was looking for.

"…But I think it's because…the one who blended this tea…" He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, a small smile and timid blush spreading across his face. "…She remembers the time we spent together under the Kachnar blossoms."

* * *

><p>AN: Next chapter: Under the Kachnar Blossoms. Featuring itty-bitty Zack.

So I made a pinterest board with some stuff for this story. Because I'm not talented enough to draw what's in my head, I find lookalikes. When I figure it out, I'll maybe probably post the link.


	7. Under the Kachnar Blossoms

Chapter Seven: Under the Kachnar Blossoms

_She was so warm and comfortable that she never wanted to move. There were soft, kind voices nearby, and though they were unfamiliar, she did not feel threatened. Slowly, as she woke, memory returned. She remembered the boy who had rescued her, and smiled as she tried to sit, rubbing the sleep from her eyes._

_There he was – the boy who had helped her – only a foot or so from her face._

_She yelped in surprise, jumping, and her alarm sent him back a few feet. He was now perched on the footboard of the bed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Did I wake you up? Sorry…" But he sounded more excited than sorry._

_She had thought surely her memories of his hair had been exaggerated, but she was quite surprised to find that they hadn't been. It really was that spiky, standing up every which-way except for the tame long bangs that fell to frame his face. He seemed to be about her age, or slightly older. _

_He was kind of…cute…._

_She opened her mouth to speak but all that came out was three sneezes in quick succession. After she was done, she sniffed. She was really stuffed up, and her head felt unusually warm too._

_ "__Ma, I think she has a cold."_

_ "__Anyone would catch cold after being out so long in that weather." Hands reached from behind her to put a cool cloth over her forehead. She sighed deeply. It was scented with something that cleared her nose and throat a little bit. "That better?"_

_ "__Thank you," she breathed, leaning back against the headboard, tilting her head back so the cloth stayed there of its own accord. The woman came from behind to greet her properly._

_ "__Glad to see you're up!" she said. She was a middle-aged woman with short black hair, streaked with hints of silver. She dressed plainly, in only a plain purple dress and an apron. Now that she had the presence of mind to notice, the entire home was plain. It was only one circular, gray stone room, and besides the bed she rested in, there were only a few pieces of furniture – a dresser with a vase of flowers and a few photos in a frame, and a round table in the center of the room on top of a large rug. Still, the large window let in plenty of light, and though there was not much, she could feel that it was home._

_ "__Welcome to our humble home," she continued, smiling kindly. "The two of you had quite an adventure last night, I hear!"_

_ "__I saved you!" the boy said with an enormous grin. _

_She nodded, an unintended sneeze following the gesture. "T-Thank you, sir, miss." Her voice was small and hoarse._

_The woman laughed kindly. "What a proper young girl you are!" She reached forward to tenderly tuck her bangs behind her ears. "But you don't need to be formal here. You can call me Mrs. Fair, and this little 'sir' is Zack."_

_ "__I like 'sir'. It's what they called knights!" Zack said. "And I'm gonna be a hero soon so it's perfect!"  
>"Well, chivalrous Sir Zack," his mother said, patient in the face if his enthusiasm and energy, "perhaps you should get a glass of water for this pretty little lady."<em>

_ "__Right!" and he bounded out of doors._

_ "__Where is he going now?" his mother wondered aloud quietly. "The well, maybe? But there's water here…." She shook her head and turned back to her._

_"__You've done so much for him, young one," she said. "All his life he's been packing around that kit of his looking for adventure, and then you fall into his life." She adjusted the cloth on her forehead again, then took one of her small hands into her own. "I don't know what circumstances brought you here, but I can thank you for the happiness that you have brought to my son. He finally got to play the part of the hero that he's been dreaming of."_

_ "__Ma!" Zack said, reentering the house holding up a glass of something purple. "Chad had leftover juice!"_

_ "__Thank you," she said softly, still hoarse. She hesitated, but finished with "…Sir Zack."_

_The boy flushed all shades of red, but his eyes were sparkling and he smiled as if she had just made his life. His smile was so wide that she swore she could see all of his teeth. "No problem! It's a hero's job, after all!"_

_Zack handed her the juice and she sipped gratefully. It was thick, sweet and heavy, but the liquid soothed the burn in her throat on the way down and filled her stomach with warmth. _

_ "__So we've introduced ourselves, but we still don't know what to call you, little one." His mother took the glass from her._

_ "__I'm Hana," she said. "It's nice to meet you."_

_ "__Let's go play, Hana!" Zack said in a rush, doing little jumps and running in place in his excitement. "We can go explore the jungle together! I know this great place where we can catch grubs and frogs and…."_

_ "__Slow down, Zack," his mother said, putting her hand on his head to still him. "Part of adventuring is patiently waiting for your friends to heal when they get hurt."_

_All the energy rushed out of the boy. "Oh." Judging from what she'd seen, energy was his strong suit, not patience._

_ "__But I have to go!"_

_Zack and his mother both turned to her in confusion. "You've got a cold, honey. You need to stay and recover your strength."_

_ "__Why do you have to go? Stay with me!"_

_Zack's mother waited for a reply, but did not push when one was not offered, tucking the covers around her instead. "Rest for now, at least until nightfall. We'll talk once Zack's father gets home. In the meantime," she turned now to her son, "someone has a garden to weed."_

_ "__Awww…Ma! But I want to—"_

_ "__After the garden, Zack." She was kind but very firm, and Zack, hanging his head like a dejected puppy._

_Hana laid back down and closed her eyes. Zack's mother replaced the cloth on her forehead with a fresh one, and she sighed happily in thanks. Under the heavy quilt, wrapped in warmth in the walls of a real home, she drifted, and then slept._

* * *

><p><em> "<em>_I have to go," was the first thing she said when she woke up. She didn't know exactly how long she had slept, but the sunlight through the window was more orange and the sun was low on the horizon. Zack was still gone, but his mother was attending to dinner._

_When she heard her, Zack's mother put down her cooking and came to sit beside her on the bed. "My husband called," she said. "At work he found someone who was looking for his young Wutaian daughter, and I assumed it was you. Did you get separated from your father?"_

_Hana's face went deathly white, and despite herself, she began to cry. She shook, shoulders heaving with great sobs. _

_"__Hana? Hana, what is it?" _

_"__I—I—I was trying to run a-a-way from him…."_

_ "__Hana," Mrs. Fair said, alarmed. "Then…your scars…" Her face fell as she began to understand her reaction to the news. "And now he knows you're here." She didn't remain somber any longer. Her face hardened in resolve. "Zack," she called loudly. "Come inside, quickly!"_

_Zack came in, looking guilty. "I didn't do it!" he insisted, probably reacting to his mother's serious tone. "It wasn't me!"  
>"Zack, get your adventure pack. You and Hana are going on a mission. A real, serious mission. It's not a game anymore. If you fail then Hana will be captured and very badly hurt. Are you ready to be a real hero, Zack?"<em>

_Zack stood there looking at the two of them, blinking sky blue eyes several times. Confusion put aside, he stood at attention and saluted, shouting "Yes, ma'am!" before scurrying off to find his pack._

_ "__They're coming here. I can't contact my husband to let him know what's going on, so I'll tell them that you and Zack went on a trip across the ferry. It should give you a few hours to get a head start. Do you know where you can go, Hana? Do you have somewhere that you can be safe?"_

_Hana shook her head no._

_ "…__Then we'll lead them away and bring you back here. Zack," she said to her son, who was stuffing more things into an already overflowing pack, "what's the best hiding place you can think of? As deep in the jungle as you can go, and far from here."_

_Zack's eyebrows drew together as he thought, but he brightened soon. "Yes! I know a perfect, beautiful place!"_

_ "__Can she stay there for a few days?"_

_ "__Yeah! It will be lots of fun!"_

_ "__Then start packing all the things she'll need to stay. I'll prepare food and water."_

_ "__Yes ma'am!"_

_The small home was a flurry of activity. Zack's mother prepared simple food quickly, and in the end there was enough to last her at least a week. Occasionally, she reminded Zack of various things to pack, and he was rummaging around the whole house at a million miles a minute._

_ "__But Mrs. Fair," Hana said as she took a large sack filled with food. "He's dangerous!"  
>"You let the adults handle this, Hana. We will take care of you. You just need to hide in the jungle for a while." Mrs. Fair crouched down to meet Hana at eye-level. "And then, when he's gone, come back and be a part of our family. Zack would love to have a little sister."<em>

_Hana's eyes widened, misted over. She looked dazed, disbelieving. "A…family?"_

_ "__No child should have to live in fear, Hana," she said solemnly. "We'll protect you and take care of you, I promise._

_ "__Zack," she called again. "Go knock on doors and tell the villagers that if they see your father, they need to distract him. Have Chad go over supply shipments with him, anything! But keep it casual and discreet!"_

_ "__What's 'discreet', Ma?"_

_ "…__Just tell the villagers that word. Hurry! Run as fast as you can!"_

_Zack was only gone for a few minutes before he returned, just as the sun was beginning to disappear behind the horizon. "Chad and Mandy and Sara can all help be discreet."_

_Zack's mother paid no heed, only helped the boy to shoulder his large adventure pack. "Now take her to that place. Run straight there and don't stop. Take smaller paths or tread your way through the weeds whenever you can. Neither of you come back for at least two full days. When it's safe to return, I'll hang a white handkerchief in the window. _Do not_ enter the house again unless you see that handkerchief, and stay out of the village!"_

_ "__Wow, a two-day mission? Cool!"_

_Mrs. Fair took her son by the shoulders. "Zack, I need you to be serious. I don't think you understand that this is real danger. You've never known it before, but Hana has. Can you be grown up and brave for me and protect her?"_

_Zack frowned slightly. "Of course," he said, as if offended.  
><em>

_"Then go!"_

_Zack took her hand and they ran straight into the foliage of the jungles of Gongaga._

_As difficult as it was, Hana kept her head toward the little house in the village, not ever wanting to let that home and the hope it offered her out of her sight._

_When she tore her eyes away, she closed them for a moment, cementing the memory in her mind. She knew it was the last time she would ever see that place._

* * *

><p><em>Hana ran in silence, but Zack was very comfortable talking to her anyway. Perhaps at another time his idle, friendly chatter might have soothed her worried heart, but it only served to depress her more.<em>

_She could not put Zack or his parents through this._

_She used the free arm that Zack was not pulling her along by to bat at the tears leaking from her eyes._

I could have had a family…

_Instead, she focused her thoughts on the journey. It was rough terrain. With every step she trod over foliage – creeping vines, leaves, shrubs, mushrooms – she was amazed at the array. She'd never before seen such a vast array of plants, and the trees were filled with the calls of new and strange animals. Even the air was different here, humid and heavy, but with thousands of nameless smells. There was so much life here, strange and new as another world._

_They were headed north, and Zack had told her that the ferry was to the west of the village. Though that left little danger of them being spotted, especially as they kept off the trails, it was still nerve-wracking, knowing that if something went wrong he could be behind any tree, waiting._

_ "…__They're so huge! I can't wait for you to see them. Well, they're not as big as the surrounding trees, but for a flowering tree they're enormous. And there's a clearing nearby where we can make a fire and roast mushrooms! I know which ones are safe to eat, and there will be so many after this damp season we've been having! And a stream! Dad says there aren't any fish in it but I don't believe him. It may rain, but I have a tent, and it's nice and sturdy. We'll be nice and warm inside and eat hot fish and mushrooms and sandwiches…."_

_She really didn't ignore Zack on purpose, but she had too much on her mind to listen to his chatter. She was still very, very grateful for his company._

_ "__Zack?"_

_ "__Yeah?"_

_She had to do it soon, before she lost her nerve. "The man chasing me…my father. He's…really scary. Really dangerous. You should go back and make sure your parents are safe."_

_Zack stopped and looked at her, confused. "But Ma said—"_

_ "__Please, Zack! You've been so kind to me, I couldn't stand it if you got hurt because of me!" She let her tears flow. She didn't even have to fake them or the tremor in her voice. "You have to help your parents, _please_!"_

_ "__But what about you? What about the mission?"_

_ "__I'll be fine hiding in the jungle. Leave me the food and supplies and I'll take care of myself. You can come get me when it's safe or I'll come back and find you."_

_Zack frowned. "You can take care of yourself?"_

Now_ he thinks to be practical, she thought with a sigh. "Yes, I've been on my own for a long time. I know how to make a fire and catch fish and gather mushrooms, just like you."_

_ "__Well okay," he said. "If Ma and Pa need me then I have to go. But let me show you the trees! Stay there, it's the nicest, prettiest place in the jungle. You'll love it so much! It's not far, let's go!"_

_After only a few more moments of breakneck pace, they broke into the area he spoke of, and Hana's vision was washed with pink and white._

_The trees were very tall, as Zack had said, though still shorter than the surrounding trees, a pocket of color in a green world. Instead of leaves, however, the trees sprouted millions of five-petaled, orchid shaped flowers as big as her hand, so thick and numerous that she could not see into the heart of the tree. Many were the softest white, but still more were a soft pink or deep magenta. Some were kissed lightly with clusters of tiny veins running like pink paint over a canvas. She could smell their soft, floral aroma on the breeze._

_She was speechless before such majesty._

_With these beautiful sentinels protecting her, surely no one could ever find her._

_ "__Climb up!" Zack urged her, taking hold of a low branch himself. "It's even better inside, and no one will be able to see you!"_

_Hana followed, taking hold and following close behind her friend._

_Zack found a good, sturdy branch strong enough to hold the both of them and took a seat, legs dangling off one side of the branch. Hana followed suit, falling against him for a moment as she lost her balance, blushing, and scooting away abashed._

_She was surrounded by the blossoms, pink and white dancing above, around, and below her. She could not see the outside jungle at all. It was an ethereal feeling. Everything she sensed was the blossoms – they were even in the air she breathed. She felt petals fall to caress her face, soft as silk, as she rested against the rough but secure and sturdy bark and listened to the soft whispers as they sighed in the breeze. _

_And that unforgettable scent lulled her into serenity with every breath. _

_She was safe. Really, truly, blissfully safe._

_ "__I knew you'd like it," Zack said, quieter than before. Even he could sense the reverent beauty of this place. "You can stay here. You'll be safe in these Kachnar trees. No one will even see you."_

Kachnar_. The name tasted as sweet on her tongue as their fragrance in the air._

_ "__Thank you," Hana said, tears of joy prickling at her eyes. "This is the most beautiful moment I've ever had, here with you under the Kachnar blossoms."_

_Zack smiled, serene, energy bridled for the moment._

_ "__After it's safe for you, I'll take you here every day. It will be our secret base, and we can have lots of adventures together!" _

_The Fair family's kindness was sweeter even than the blossoms. This world of beauty would not have been the same without the mother who had protected her or the little boy who was her protector._

_ "__You're my hero, Zack." She threw her arms around him. "I'll never forget this. Never, never, never."_

_Zack hugged her back, squeezing her tight. "Stay here and be safe, then come back and be my sister forever!" With a wink and a parting wave, he was gone, disappeared back into the green jungle. "I'll be back soon!" she heard him call as he disappeared from her world._

_Hana stayed, resting in this sanctuary for a while longer. There was no more sadness, only resolve. It had been a miracle that she had even been able to taste of this heaven for a day, and she was grateful. Maybe someday it would be different. Maybe someday she could return. Until that day, even knowing that she had a place in the Fair family was enough to sustain her._

_Slowly, carefully, she picked blossoms from the tree – bud, leaf, and petal all together. She would take some with her so she would never forget, not even on the darkest of days. She breathed deeply, taking in everything. _

_The scent was ambrosia. _

_She would never, ever forget._

_And so, for the sake of her family member's lives, she descended the tree, ready to face her father once again, without sorrow for her fate, only resolve to meet it with strength enough to protect the ones she held dear._

_ "__Don't be sad, Zack," she whispered into the jungle. "You've given me so much more than you'll ever know, brother."_

* * *

><p>He knew as soon as she came out of the door.<p>

It _was_ her.

Reason left. Genesis was still there, and Sephiroth was just inside his office door. He didn't care.

Breathlessly, he threw himself forward and embraced her with all his strength. She softly cried out, alarmed, but he didn't care. He pressed her to his chest so tightly that she was struggling to breathe.

"_Hana_, you're alive! I thought…I thought…what was I supposed to think?! You just left without a word and never came back! _You were supposed to come back! _Do you have any idea what you…what I…I thought you were _dead_!" He didn't know whether he was more angry or happy. Years of emotions he thought he had worked through long ago resurfaced. "Do you know what that does to a kid? I was so…for _months_!"

Hana relaxed, and understanding flooded her eyes. "Zack?" she said. Then, with a smile spread across her face, "Zack!"

Zack let her go and stepped back, out of breath as if he'd been running.

"Why?" he asked in a whisper. "Why…did you go?"

Hana did not answer, only embraced him fondly. "Zack…I'm so glad we could meet again, brother."

Zack's anger disappeared, and with a smile he returned her hug.

"Yeah," he said, patting her back affectionately. "Me too, sis."

* * *

><p>AN: This is a draft. I'll fix it later. I had so little to go on with Zack's childhood and parents that I took a lot of license. However, considering they freely welcomed Cissnei into the family and Zack even expected them to do so (Crisis Core - charming scene, look it up if you haven't seen it!) I figured they'd be a friendly, family-oriented bunch. And widdle Zacky going on adventures and playing hero was too cute an idea to pass up.

There's another side to the story from Zack's point of view after he went back to his parents and such. You guys interested in that? I'm debating whether to write it or let sleeping dogs lie.

Kachnar trees are real! They're even used in cooking (the blossoms and buds, that is, not the tree. That would be awkward). I've created a Pinterest page with pictures of them and other things from this book. I will post a link on my profile page for anyone who's interested. It has some stuff from a little ways in the future, so if it's not explained in the captions, don't sweat it. I'll get to it. Will be updated periodically as I find more stuff.

So it's been a while since I've updated. I've been...er..._studying_ Sephiroth and Angeal and Genesis and Zack. Yes. Studying. That's what I was doing. *hides PSP and whistles innocently* Seriously though, I just barely got my copy of Crisis Core back from someone who kept it WAY TOO LONG and now I am totally addicted. ...For research purposes, of course (now I sound like Hojo). Considering its one of the incredibly few canonical sources of our favorite First-Classmen in this time period, I may as well eat it up.

Next chapter we'll have some more Sephiroth and Hana action. And sooner than later we'll have some Sephiroth and Hana ACTION.


	8. Under the Radar

Chapter Eight: Under the Radar

Genesis had on a very smug smile when he pulled Sephiroth's office door closed behind him. "Well, that was interesting, wasn't it?"

Sephiroth said nothing, writing with furious speed but looking intensely bored and disinterested. Even so, he didn't so much as look up to greet Genesis.

"You can't tell me you didn't just hear that little exchange between your wife and Angeal's puppy."

"That was Angeal's protégé?" Sephiroth put down his pen and reached for his official seal. There were no less than three official stamps on that paper, to which Sephiroth added his own. Whatever he was working on, it was important stuff.

"In the very flesh."

"Hmph." Sephiroth refolded the paper along lines already present and sealed it in an envelope. "I can't say I'm impressed."

Genesis grinned. "I'm glad we agree." He sat himself in the seat in front of Sephiroth's desk. The man was scrupulously organized. For all of the papers he had on his desk, there was a place and order in a specific stack. Other than the papers, there were only a few office supplies in a silver tray, a phone, a desk lamp, and a spherical paperweight of polished onyx, engraved with the ShinRa logo in gold, resting on a red velvet cloth.

Sephiroth returned his seal to the desk drawer and locked it with a key. Even though the seal had no power to it without Sephiroth's personal signature, he still kept it locked up, probably because it would be expensive to replace.

Sephiroth rose to his feet and went to his metal file-cabinet with a small stack of papers. He unlocked the cabinet and opened the top drawer with a screech.

"You're not jealous at all?"

"What reason would I have to be jealous?"

"Your wife was just pounced on by another man," Genesis said coolly. "Literally. Any lesser man would probably have gotten defensive."

"His reaction seems reasonable." Sephiroth finished with the first drawer, shutting it with another screech and pulling open the second. "He believed her to be dead. And we know how excitable he gets from Angeal's stories. Furthermore, he seems to think of her in familial sense. Even if it had not been so," Sephiroth looked at him despite not being done, a small smirk on his face, as if he was amused that he would ask such a stupid question, "I am far above being threatened by _Zack _the_ puppy_."

Genesis scoffed as Sephiroth returned to filing. "You didn't even _react_, even before you knew the whole situation. Even for you, that's cold."

Sephiroth didn't say a word as he closed the third drawer and locked the cabinet, his stack of papers gone.

"Did you and Hana have a spat?" Genesis asked. "She brought you an awfully nice lunch." He didn't know what the food on Sephiroth's desk was, but it smelled delicious, even though he didn't usually care for Wutaian food.

"We had a disagreement last night."

"You barely seem affected."

"Hmph. Surely you are not just now figuring out that our relationship is hardly normal."

So at least he knew it too.

"What's the food?" Genesis asked.

"Korokke," Sephiroth said, sitting back in his desk chair. "Fried potato and meat croquettes, with some sort of Wutaian sauce on the top, and cabbage salad. I don't even know how she managed to make them with how few kitchen supplies I have."

Genesis remembered the small pot she had used to boil the water for their tea and the single burner. She would have had to make them one or two at a time, and there were twelve in his lunch, arranged in a pyramid with the cabbage, cut into triangles, surrounding it.

"Impressive," Genesis said, helping himself to one of the croquettes. Sephiroth sent him a disapproving glance but did not object, taking several for himself.

There was a knock on the door before Angeal let himself in. "Welcome to the party," Genesis greeted. "Have some of Hana's cooking. They're really good. Apparently she's making up for a little spat they had last night." Sephiroth glared at Genesis, who was not only offering his lunch to Angeal, but helping himself to another three.

"Don't mind if I do," Angeal said and took one, ignoring the waves of Sephiroth's disapproval. "Do you want to talk about it, Sephiroth?"

"No."

"All right, then. What is Hana doing today?"

"Training," Sephiroth said, taking the korokke and moving them right in front of him, away from his two friends. He took another. They went fast, each only large enough for two bites. "Tseng of the Turks is teaching her to use a gun."

Angeal frowned and was about to inquire further, but he bit into the croquette, and that wiped his frown straight off. "Holy…." he sighed in pleasure as he chewed.

"She's also evading the advances of your puppy, Angeal," Genesis added. "Poor thing. Good thing she's learning to shoot."

"Zack is doing_ what_?"

Sephiroth, despite knowing the truth, did not correct him. Genesis was pleased. Sometimes, _sometimes_, they could scheme together. And until Angeal found out the real story, it might make for an extremely amusing situation.

"You said he had a thing for girls, but I didn't think even _he_ was _that _stupid," Genesis added as icing on the cake. He had to reach out very far, but still managed to swipe two more croquettes.

Angeal covered his face with his hand in despair. "Sephiroth, please don't dismember my pupil…yet. I'll take care of it."

"Hmph," was all Sephiroth said.

Genesis was as happy as a clown. This would be so much fun. At the very least, Zack would get the "SOLDIER honor" lecture of his life.

He'd have to find a way to thank Sephiroth later.

"We have evaluations to attend," Sephiroth said, and the food had magically disappeared. Genesis was suspicious, as the plate was gone too.

"The bi-annual scurrying of the Seconds," Genesis agreed in a flat voice. "I am truly thrilled." Even so, he got up and made his way to the door. "You coming, General?"

"It's not like I have any choice in the matter," Sephiroth said, tucking the sealed envelope from earlier into his jacket.

"Brighten up," Genesis said. "Maybe something…interesting will happen. Speaking of which, Angeal, you never told us that it was _your_ pupil that lost his pants last time."

"Can you blame me?" Angeal asked, looking very sober. As the three friends exited the office, Angeal pulled the door closed behind him.

"I could have been jabbing in that your face for six whole months by now, my friend. You have deprived me of most precious fun."

"You are twisted."

Sephiroth was going to lock the door when Genesis spoke up. "Hey, I think I left something in there."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow in suspicion but turned the knob to open the door for him.

Genesis knew that Sephiroth couldn't have finished all that food by himself so quickly. He wasn't a glutton; he ate in small, proper bites. And Sephiroth hadn't gotten up until now so the leftovers had to be near his desk.

He found it on the seat of the chair, hidden, as it had been pushed in. There was one solitary korokke left amid a few last cabbage petals. Before Sephiroth could react, he pushed the whole thing into his mouth – a little bit of a stretch, but not so much that it was truly vulgar. He chewed openly as he sauntered back to the door, pulling it closed behind him, ignoring the glares of both of his friends.

When he had made a show of swallowing it all, he grinned at Sephiroth and said simply, "I win."

* * *

><p><em>Bang!<em>

The sound still made her jump.

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Hana sighed and put the gun down. Even with the ear muffs that Tseng had given her, the noise startled her every time. Even the fact that she was in full control of the timing of the shots didn't make it any better. She hadn't acclimated as Tseng said she would. Every shot was just as bad as the last.

"I hate guns," she seethed under her breath.

"It may take time," Tseng said. "You're doing fairly well considering it's only your first day."  
>"Can I have a silencer, at least?"<p>

"They don't help as much as you'd think, and you need to get used to the sound. If you are ever in a gun fight, being so alarmed by the sounds is a serious weakness. You can't let them take the advantage that way."

"So you'll take away my ear muffs, too?"

"Eventually, yes. You're not likely to have them in real combat, and you need to be prepared for the way it's really going to be."

Hana grimaced and picked up the gun, putting on the ear muffs. Even though she felt like they did little good, she might as well enjoy them while she had them.

She was shooting at paper silhouettes shaped like human bodies. Every time she hit, light spilled through the hole the bullet made, making her successes, or lack thereof, extremely obvious. So far, she'd manage to hit one in the arm and another in the lower torso. Five more of her bullets had not even hit.

"Focus on accuracy first," Tseng reminded her. "Speed can come later."

Obediently, but grimacing the whole time, Hana slowed down. She shot six bullets. Four found their mark at least somewhere on the cutouts, if not anywhere vital.

"Better," Tseng observed. "You might have hit with the last two if your jumping didn't skew your aim."

Hana resisted the urge to glower. The one who was _really_ responsible for this misery was her husband. She couldn't fault Tseng.

"Is that all for today?" she asked, hopefully.

Tseng chuckled softly. "Are you confident you could defend yourself if your assailant came tonight?"

"I could hit him _somewhere_," Hana said, gesturing to the random holes in the silhouette.

"If he was stationary, and you had all the time you wanted to react, neither of which is likely. You haven't yet proven that you could neutralize a threat," Tseng said. "And Sephiroth did say that your situation was urgent."

"I'm supposed to learn all that today?"

Tseng shook his head. "It is a bit unrealistic, but I'll at least introduce you to the concepts. I'm going to turn on the motion, slowly at first. Try to hit as many as you can while I try to find you a better gun."

Tseng entered a series of numbers on a keypad and a machine whirred to life. The silhouettes began to move, rather realistically. They were following unpredictable paths in all directions, sometimes stopping or changing orientation.

"Aim for the one with the green light on his forehead. Consider the others distractions."

One of the silhouettes lit up green, clearly visible until he moved behind several others.

Hana grit her teeth and aimed.

_Bang. Bang._

She caught his right arm just as he moved into view, but the second shot didn't hit.

Tseng was gone. She lowered her gun to her side and looked at the wound in the silhouette, bright light spilling from the small hole in the arm.

She had done it. She had hit. She wanted that to be all.

But shooting at bodies would be different. It wouldn't be a burst of light that signaled when she had hit her target. The thought made her stomach roll.

And now she was calm. When the attack came, she would be a wad of adrenaline and tangled nerves. If she could focus enough to even look down the barrel into the sight, it would be a miracle.

"Not everyone was cut out to fight, Sephiroth," Hana said.

She closed her eyes and tensed her body to its limit, and then breathed out the tension. As much as she hated it, she knew he was right. He would find her when she was alone.

_"I have seen miserably incompetent men find their strength,"_ he had told her. _"I recognize that for some it takes more than for others, but I will not let you get out of this on the excuse that you simply cannot be trained. Surely there's something in you that can be of use."_

A face flashed before her mind's eye, and she felt her blood run hot.

Her father had tormented her from the beginning. As a child, she had taken it. She could not do anything else. Then, as she had grown, she had learned to run. Now, as an adult, she finally had the power to _fight_. She clenched the gun in her hand. This was a weapon – this was _power_.

The silhouette with the green light flashed into her view, and her father's face appeared again in her mind. With power born from sheer hatred surging through her veins, she raised the gun and shot three times, her hand steady, her aim true. Three small holes, close together, let light spill freely from the place marked red on the target – the heart.

She felt nothing. No victory, no relief.

Nothing.

For now, she thought, all she had to use to steady her hands and aim was her hatred. It would appease her husband and Tseng, at least.

Somewhere inside, she was mortified that she did not feel guilty that, had that been her father, she would have certainly killed him. She stifled the emotion with the assurance that she had long ago passed out of the world where mercy was an option.

* * *

><p>Sephiroth's phone vibrated and he took it from his pocket. It was a photo message, sent from Tseng.<p>

"Don't the bigwigs know not to bother you while you're doing evaluations?" Genesis asked, leaning back in his seat until the top of the back of his chair was pressed against the wall. The three friends sat side-by-side in the observation booth, watching the exhausted second-class SOLDIERS trickle into the simulation room as they finished their individual assessments.

"It is odd," Angeal agreed.

Sephiroth made an odd noise in his throat that might have been either approval or annoyance. Without a word, he passed his phone to Angeal.

Angeal stared for several seconds. "Hana did _that_?"

Genesis, impatient as ever, looked over Angeal's shoulder at the photo of a shooting range training dummy. There was no text because none was needed. Three bullet holes pierced straight through the heart. "It's her first day? Sign her up for the Turks!"

Sephiroth's phone vibrated again in Angeal's hand. "New message from TSENG," it read. Angeal opened the text and read aloud. "I sent her home after this. She was beginning to behave strangely."

"What in Gaia does that mean?" Genesis asked.

"Tell Tseng that I'll send Hana back tomorrow."

Angeal and Genesis stared at Sephiroth, but he was suddenly very engaged in scanning the observation forms. The two friends knew when they'd been shut out.

Angeal sent a message back to Tseng, as requested. _"This is Angeal_," he wrote, _"and I'll make sure Sephiroth takes care of Hana before he sends her back for more."_

_"Very good,"_ was Tseng's prompt reply.

"How many more are we waiting on?" Genesis asked.

"Two or three," Sephiroth said. "It will start soon."

"Looks like the puppy was last to take his individuals," Genesis said. "That puts him at an automatic disadvantage." Because the group assessment immediately followed individual testing, the last ones to start ended up without a break between the two sessions to refresh and catch their breaths.

"He has enough stamina to get through it," Sephiroth said. "If that boy has anything, it's energy."

"Thanks," Angeal said. "I think." But they all knew it wasn't really meant to be a compliment.

"There he is now," Genesis said, gesturing. "Pants intact, even."

Angeal sent a disapproving glance toward Genesis but it was not heeded. Through clearly winded, Zack was standing taller than some of the other men. Overall, he seemed to be in pretty good shape and very high spirits, even doing some more squats for good measure while pepping up some of his fellow men.

"That's all of them, then."

"Great. Let's make them scurry."

"You could give Zack three more sec—"

But Genesis hit the switch before Angeal could finish. The room behind the one-way glass went dark. As each SOLDIER put on his virtual reality goggles, a red ID number appeared above their heads, signaling their position along with the light strips running along in their training uniforms. Angeal played with a few dials, adjusting their visuals so the virtual environment the men were immersed in was visible to them as well.

This year's program was especially difficult. Genesis, Angeal, and Sephiroth had drafted it themselves, and then submitted it to the programmers with Genesis's instructions to "add more flare wherever possible." The setting was a desert, with elements set to drain the men before they even started to fight. They would feel the oppressive heat as if it was real, and every step would be harder for them in the deep sand. There was little cover, leaving them wide open and exposed.

The three first-classes readied their pens. Though numbers were used to keep them from knowing the identities of everyone in the room, Zack was easily distinguishable from the rest as number 34. The assessments were simple – the three just had to comment on what they saw, whether good or bad. Some men got few comments, as they didn't stand enough, which was just as bad as getting slammed with criticism if you wanted to make First-class. So the rules for the men were simple – respond well and admirably to the situation, and prove to a First-class SOLDIER that you deserved to be among their ranks.

Nothing had even happened yet, the men were just orienting themselves, deciding what to do in the situation. Their voices were played very clearly for the three to hear. What they didn't know was that they needed to decide on a leader within 15 seconds or less or they would be scattered like pigeons at the park.

Zack's eyes were sharp, and he was the first to spot the trouble. "Over there!" he yelled. "Follow me!" And the men did as he rushed to the shadows on the horizon for an impromptu offensive.

And so it began.

Angeal tried to give at least a little feedback for every man, trying to be honest without being unkind and balance the negative with the positive. He felt really sorry for the poor man who got Genesis's attention, who only gave out "praise" in the form of scathing sarcasm. If Genesis said nothing about you, it was usually a good sign. It meant he'd found nothing about you to make fun of.

Sephiroth was a different story entirely. Everything he said was entirely fair, but did not say much. Even though he kept the strictest observation of the three, he wrote the fewest comments. He didn't bother to write anything unless he considered it very worth his time. He was also lucky to give out one or two compliments per session. Praise from Sephiroth meant promotion was pretty much assured.

And so, Angeal was very worried when he turned his head to see how Sephiroth was doing, only to find the Silver General's eyes riveted on his pupil. He let it go the first time, but after the fourth time, he was starting to get worried. It was clear both from his intense gaze and the comments filling the box for SOLDIER #34 that Sephiroth had only eyes for Zack this time, and he was uncharacteristically picking apart every single move, recording it in detail.

It wasn't like he _couldn't_ do that. There were really no regulations on how they should judge, only suggestions. Even if there had been rules, Sephiroth was such a figure of power that if he wanted to bend them, he could.

It made Angeal extremely nervous that Sephiroth was taking such uncharacteristic interest in his pupil. Whether Zack knew it or not, his performance in the next few minutes was his opportunity to either permanently make or break his dreams of making First-class.

_"Focus, for once in your life,"_ Angeal silently prayed for his student.

* * *

><p>AN: If you review...he will come... Not really. I love your reviews but I'll write either way because I'm so nice. And "HE" comes next chapter either way too. :D

Recipe for Korokke on my Black on Silver pinterest page (link on profile).


	9. In the Silence

Chapter Nine: In the Silence

"_Okaerinasai_," Hana said as Sephiroth stepped into his apartment.

The call made him pause. It was a strange feeling to be welcomed home…by his wife, nonetheless. It was a reminder that his new life with her would take a lot of getting used to.

"…_Tadaima_," he returned, belatedly, as he was well aware. He set his keys and a small stack of files on the kitchen table. Hana's voice had come from his old study – now her bedroom, he reminded himself. He turned to see her inside the open doorway, on her knees, folding her clothes neatly. He had yet to get her proper shelves, but she was making do with tidy piles in the corners of the old study. Her clothes were beautiful, vibrant in both color and pattern, and they added a life of their own to the room, decorations in their own right, especially when there was nothing else in the room but her neatly rolled futon.

"How was your day?" Hana asked, not looking up from her folding. Her hands and arms moved fluidly, rhythmically, with as much grace in her housework as in her dancing. She was on her best palace behavior.

"Rather uneventful," Sephiroth said. He supposed that his own formality followed naturally from hers. He would not upset the balance. "And yours?"

"The same," she said, placing a sunshine-yellow yukata on the top of one of the piles. "Except for running into Zack, I suppose."

_And training with Tseng_. But Sephiroth didn't push her. Tseng had said she was upset when she left. "How do you know him?" An inquiry, not an accusation.

"He found me when I collapsed during one of my escapes. His family took me in, and helped to hide me when my father came looking. They asked me to be a member of the family." She smiled softly, neatly folding her hands in her lap and looking at them wistfully. "I…couldn't let them take my fall."

"You surrendered to your father, then."

"He would have killed them."

Sephiroth didn't deny it. "Does Zack know this?"

"All he knows is that I disappeared. I didn't say anything, and I couldn't go back."

"Did he run into your father at all?"

Hana sighed deeply. "I don't know. I don't know what happened on his end at all. I guess it's possible. When I…surrendered…my father was in their home. But I don't know if Zack had made it back by then or not."

"He will have to be sworn to secrecy then. He may know." He exited the room and went back to the table, grabbing a file and leafing through the contents.

Hana rose to her feet and leaned against the doorway. "You don't have to threaten him. He's like my brother. He'll do it willingly. We can trust him."

Sephiroth put down the file, gently closing it with his fingertips. "As much as I hate to take a risk on a boy you knew fifteen years ago for one day, it appears that we have no choice."

Hana pursed her lips but said nothing. The space between them was still raw and sore from their argument last night.

Sephiroth opened a silver case on the kitchen table to find a black handgun. "This is your weapon?" he asked, picking it up and examining it.

"Yes. Its name is _Baka_."

Sephiroth smiled wryly, unseen, as his back was still to her. He flipped open the magazine to examine the ammunition, then reloaded and looked down the barrel and through the sight. "It's a good gun," he said. "Some of the Turks don't even have a weapon as good as this."

"How much did you have to pay them for that?" she asked.

"Little, actually. They owed me."

"Owed _you_?"

Sephiroth chuckled, a quiet, dark sound. "A certain Turk has an unhealthy obsession with causing me trouble. One of his schemes went too far and caused significant damages to my personal property."

She was grateful for the lighter note and his small laugh. Even those little things were like aloe on a burn. Nothing was truly healed between them, but the humor eased the sting.

Hana looked around the house. It was still slightly disorganized due to her remodeling, but there was nothing obviously broken or missing, and she'd just been in his office that afternoon, and it was as immaculately clean and tidy as he normally kept his home. What had been destroyed, she wondered?

She was about to ask when there was a knock on the door. As if called to attention, her lazy posture straightened. "Were you…expecting someone?" she asked.

"No," Sephiroth said as he went to answer the door. He unlatched the bolt and pulled the door open. "…But I might have guessed."

"Sorry to intrude unannounced," Angeal's voice said. "Especially if I'm interrupting something?"

Sephiroth did not respond to the quip but left the door open for his friend as he sat himself on the living room couch. Angeal considered himself admitted and let himself in, smiling warmly at Hana. "Good evening," he said, bending down to slip off his boots. "Been a day, hasn't it?"

Hana nodded. "Welcome," she said. "Have a seat, I'll make you tea."

"Ah, before you get to that," Angeal reached behind the front door to grab a package previously hidden from her view, "you might want to open this."

"Oh, Angeal, you didn't have to!" Still, Hana came forward and took the gift from him so he could use both hands to get his shoes off.

"I heard that Genesis beat me to the punch," Angeal said. "But…congratulations." He looked over at Sephiroth on the couch and added, "To the both of you." Hana sat down with the gift and untied the ribbon, then went to work on the wrapping paper.

"Hmph," Sephiroth said. "The two of you are making such a fuss out of this."

"It's all right. I'm pretty sure it's in the fine print of any marriage contract that the bride and groom must be fussed over."

"I would have seen it if it was."

"It's_ implied_, then. This is what friends do when friends get married. Genesis is mad he didn't get to throw you a bachelor party."

Sephiroth grimaced, offended by the very thought, but Hana let out a gasp of surprise.

"Angeal!" she cried. "It's…so _beautiful_!"

In the middle of the torn, fallen wrapping paper on her lap was a tea kettle, soft turquoise and decorated with a white blossom and sage green vine print. Even Sephiroth raised his eyebrows at the item. She stroked its surface gently, as if unbelieving that it was real. "I've never…had one of my own. It's so beautiful and _perfect_. Thank you!"

"You should try it out," Sephiroth said.

"Yes! I'll make tea right away!" And she ran excitedly to the kitchenette to get started, clutching the kettle to her heart.

"That's a lot of money," Sephiroth said quietly when Hana was just out of earshot, who was too happy and busy to eavesdrop anyway. "Especially for _you_."

"It's a special occasion," Angeal said. "And tea is an art in Wutai. Genesis said it was nothing less than offensive to have her do it out of a common pot. Look at how happy she is. She's like a kid again."

Indeed, Hana's entire face was radiating happiness, and she softly sang songs in her native tongue. Sephiroth smiled softly. "You're right. Thank you."

"I'll serve you just like I served Emperor Godo himself at the palace!"

Angeal watched Sephiroth's face as he, in turn, watched his wife. It wasn't love in his eyes, or even particular fondness, of that he was certain, but there was _something_ there, something that he'd never seen in his friend before.

"You have been blessed," Angeal said as the tea kettle began to whistle. "She's a good woman. Strange as the circumstances might have been, I think she might turn out to be one of the best things that could have happened to you."

"You speak too soon," Sephiroth said. "_Far_ too soon."

The statement confused Angeal. "You haven't resolved that argument with her yet?"

"Hmph."

And then Hana came over to the coffee table, gliding as smoothly as a breeze, alighting before them and kneeling on ceremony. She set the tray with her teacups and the new kettle on the table, bowed, and then served them. Every movement, no matter how slight, from her shoulders to her wrists to her fingertips, was as choreographed as a dance, flowing grace transforming the actions from a task into an art.

"And they say Wutai doesn't have magic," Angeal said with a smile, bowing slightly at the waist as she did while he took his tea from where it was gently cupped in her palms.

Hana withdrew her hands and began to prepare the tea for her husband. When she offered it to him with the same formality, he cupped his own hands around hers, and as she slid away the cup was left in his hands. The touch had been no longer, perhaps even briefer, than her contact with Angeal had been. Sephiroth dipped his head in thanks and began to drink.

Watching the two of them was both fascinating and confusing. There was very clear, defined space between them, physically and socially. Though Angeal had not known Hana very long, he couldn't think of a time when Sephiroth had treated her with anything indicating closeness. It wasn't that he was harsh or unkind, but as far as Angeal could tell, their relationship was closer to resembling something between colleagues than the bond between a husband and wife.

_Awkward newlywed stage_, Angeal reassured himself, but something about it unsettled him deeply. In the back of his mind, despite the serenity of the situation and the calming influence of the tea, a voice kept whispering that something was very, very wrong.

"I'll never use anything else for tea again," Hana said. "This is perfect. Thank you so much, Angeal!"

Angeal set his empty cup down on the table. On the bottom of the cup, a fiery phoenix emblazoned in red and gold blazed in the light, and he thought at once of that kimono he and Genesis had found.

"You're welcome, Hana."

She whisked the dishes away and began to clean them in the sink. "The house looks better already," Angeal said. "More open and homey. It's amazing what a little rearranging can do."

"Hana's work," Sephiroth said. "She has big plans for this place, but she'll need supplies."

"Paints first," Hana said from the kitchen. "But I can't decide on a color."

"The white is a little sterile for a home," Angeal agreed. "I'm pretty sure paint was the first thing Genesis did to his place too. Except he had the money to pay someone else to do it."

"Pity the painter couldn't talk any sense into him," Sephiroth said.

Angeal chuckled. "Genesis does have unique tastes."

Hana finished with the dishes and came to rejoin them, sitting on the floor opposite of where they sat on the couch, across the coffee table.

"I did come to ask a favor, Hana," Angeal said.

"What do you need?"

"I want to borrow your husband for a few hours tonight."

Hana scoffed. "He hardly needs _my_ permission to do anything. You should be asking him."

"What are we doing?" Sephiroth asked.

"The usual. Genesis will meet us there."

"Seconds are out?"

"Mandatory rest after evaluations. They won't be allowed in until tomorrow."

"I can-hmm?" Sephiroth's attention immediately turned from Angeal to Hana. Angeal missed what had happened, if anything had at all, but she was staring intently at the large window over the balcony. There was nothing to be seen – the curtains were drawn closed. Hana's face was oddly blank.

"Did something happen?" Angeal asked.

"No," Hana said. Her smile was fake. "Just thought I'd open the windows! I never got to see city lights in Wutai, I like them a lot." She got up and pulled the drapes aside. Outside, Midgar sprawled out before them, glittering like colored stars against the black night. She hesitated, and then pulled the window half-open, letting in the crisp night air. The drapes swayed around her until she gathered them and tied them to the side.

"They really are a sight, aren't they?" Angeal said.

Sephiroth frowned.

"We should get going. Genesis will be waiting," Angeal said.

Now Sephiroth was looking out the window too, eyes narrowed.

"…Is everything really all right?" Angeal tried again. The air was electric.

Sephiroth turned his eyes to Hana, who met his intense stare with a vacant, open face. Angeal knew communication was passing between them; he felt the tension, but could decipher nothing.

"Yes," Sephiroth said at last. "Yes, let's go." And he got up off the couch, making his way to the door. Hana nodded, smiling as Angeal did the same. Out of the corner of his eye, Angeal caught her shoulders relaxing in a silent sigh of relief.

"O—kay," Angeal said, unnerved, but playing along for the sake of the peace. "We'll be back in a few hours or so," he said to Hana.

"Have a good time," she said. "Please don't hurt yourselves."

"Heh," Angeal said, drawing his sword. "Your husband will probably be fine. It's Genesis and I that are in danger of being hurt."

"Then please play nicely, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth scoffed at the remark. "I have my phone if you need me." And, without saying goodbye, he closed the door.

* * *

><p>Hana was both terrified and relieved to be alone. They were both raw and needed time to vent and recover, and they could do that better when they were apart. Sephiroth could do that with his sword. She almost felt sorry for Genesis and Angeal, who would receive the brunt of his frustrations.<p>

She stole a glance out the window again. She could have _sworn_ she had seen something, a shadow pass as a silhouette over the curtains.

A bird, she thought, purposefully denying that it had been much too big for that to be the case.

She sat down at the kitchen table. Her body said she was hungry but her mind said she did not want to eat. She laid her head down on the table, resting on her folded arms, lengthened her back, and fell into deep, rhythmic breathing.

All was tensely still and silent.

_Everything is all right_, she chanted like a mantra. _Everything is all right_….

When she arose she had clarity of mind, but she knew it would not stay. As she sought for something to distract her, the copy of _Loveless_ that Genesis had given her caught her eye. She took it gratefully, trying to nestle herself into the pillows on the couch, but finding her body seemed rather stiff. She managed to pull her knees into her, though it felt awkward, and placed the book against them to read.

_It's been a long time since I've been able to read_, she thought gratefully. It was something she had sorely missed.

Hana thumbed through the sturdy pages, listening to them whisper as she turned them. Each act had a poem at the beginning, before going into the script. As she flipped, a word in the poem of act four caught her eye.

_Vengeance_. Her mind was drawn again to what had happened in the training room. She didn't want to face that part of herself again.

But she had a feeling she would have to. Soon.

A gust of wind unfurled the gathered drapes, the hollow, breathy scream of its passing piercing the roaring, seething silence.

She took a deep breath.

"My soul, corrupted by vengeance," she read aloud to herself, slowly, heavily. She stood, tall and proud, the book open in one hand, turning her back to the window and walking to the kitchen table.

"…Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey…"

Sephiroth's image came unbidden into her mind. Something pulled her shoulders back like him and raised her chin. She felt as if encased in silver steel, her body preparing her for something that her mind was not yet ready to accept.

"…In my own salvation…"

As if pulled by puppet strings, as a soul enslaved to the body, hands only barely shaking, she reached to clasp her gun in her other hand. Its weight and form were natural and comforting in her palms.

_"…__And your eternal slumber,_" hissed a voice that was barely hers.

Glass shattered.

_Loveless_ dropped to the floor. But not the gun.

And as she whirred around, her eyes confirmed what he heart had already known from the moment the shadow had passed over the drapes.

They had found her.

* * *

><p>AN: *twiddles thumbs*


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